From: utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!npois!npoiv!harpo!eagle!mhtsa!alice!physics!tpkq
Newsgroups: net.auto
Title: seat belts, etc. - (nf)
Article-I.D.: physics.154
Posted: Fri Aug 20 23:12:30 1982
Received: Tue Sep 21 03:53:51 1982

#N:physics:14200001:000:944
physics!tpkq    Aug 20 10:39:00 1982

I wonder about the people who feel that their "rights" are being
violated when they are forced to pay for safety devices on cars.  Do
they feel the same way about regulations dealing with proper grounding
of home appliances, or with the purity of food?  I'm sure this kind of
regulation makes the food and appliances cost more than they would
without the regulations, but will anyone insist that it is his "right"
to electrocute himself on his television or to eat contaminated food?
Consumers have the right to be assured that the products they buy are
safe, and automobiles without safety devices are not safe.  If it is
determined (by those authorities which society has charged with the
responsibility of determining what constitutes a safe product) that
cars without passive restraints are not safe, then any car manufacturer
who doesn't provide them on every car is violating his customers'
rights, and shouldn't be allowed to sell cars.