From: ak954@yfn.ysu.edu (Albion H. Bowers)
Subject: Re: Is car saftey important?s
Organization: St. Elizabeth Hospital, Youngstown, OH
Lines: 61
Reply-To: ak954@yfn.ysu.edu (Albion H. Bowers)
NNTP-Posting-Host: yfn.ysu.edu


In a previous article, jimf@centerline.com (Jim Frost) says:

>jnielsen@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (John F Nielsen) writes:

>>In article <1r1jr9$m1v@armory.centerline.com> jimf@centerline.com (Jim Frost) writes:
>>>tcorkum@bnr.ca (Trevor Corkum) writes:
>>>I figure that 30mph collisions into brick walls aren't common enough
>>>for me to spend that much extra money for protection, but there are
>>>lots of low-speed collisions that do worry me.

>>Get into an 30+ mph accident and you may reconsider. I've been in one
>>and it is *really* scarey. My life is something I value more
>>than a car's looks or handeling. Consider it insurance, it may not
>>happen often but when it does, you'll sure be glad you got a safe car.

>>Granted the tests aren't perfect but I'd much rather be in a car that
>>did well in the test than a car that did horribly. 

>You raise a valid point, but again it's a tradeoff -- how much money
>do you want to spend for that kind of protection?  You could buy a
>Volvo, Saab, or 'Benz and get really good crash protection (and other
>luxuries) but you'll pay significantly more for it.  In my case it's
>out of the question because *all* of those cars are beyond my budget.

I've been in two _major_ auto accidents, both were multiple car.  The worst
was a head-on three car collision (T intersection and one person ran a stop
sign).  In both cases I was stopped and had no place to go (and I saw it
coming both times). 

>Even in high-speed head-on collisions the most beneficial item you can
>have is a good old 3-point seatbelt.  Nowadays, at least in the US,
>you get an airbag if you get a 3-point belt so (presumably) you get an
>added safety benefit there as well.  That's something I certainly look
>for and which can be had in inexpensive cars.

If you _really_ want to add safety to _any_ car, simply add a cage to the
car.  They are available and cheap (about $500 in the USA).  Add to that
four or five or six point belts and you will walk away from collisions that
were otherwise not survivable.  but instead of people spending a little
extra money, we get legislation that says the gov't must mandate a minimal
level of protection for everyone. 

One other significant factor in improving one's own safety is to get some
training.  This will improve your safety more than any other single
investment will.  Drive/ride defensively (and that does not mean you have
to be a doddering old stick in the mud).  People here tend to enthuse about
autos more than the average (probably in the top 15th percentile in driving
ability), but still we sometimes overlook the obvious.  I've been to two
driving schools, and three riding schools for my motorcycle.  A very
worthwhile investment (and besides, it was a lot of fun too ;-). 

Safety is what you make of it, just because a carmaker doesn't provide you
with an adequate level of protection doesn't mean you have to leave it go at
that. 


-- 
Al Bowers  DOD #900  Alfa  Ducati  Hobie  Kottke  'blad  Iaido  NASA
"Well goodness sakes...don't you know that girls can't play guitar?"
                                             -Mary Chapin-Carpenter
