Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!cca!ima!inmet!wkb From: wkb@inmet.UUCP Newsgroups: net.auto Subject: Re: Make mine seatbelts. - (nf) Message-ID: <185@inmet.UUCP> Date: Wed, 13-Jul-83 18:39:11 EDT Article-I.D.: inmet.185 Posted: Wed Jul 13 18:39:11 1983 Date-Received: Thu, 14-Jul-83 08:11:07 EDT Lines: 23 #R:floyd:-171100:inmet:2700006:000:1223 inmet!wkb Jul 12 10:30:00 1983 Remember back when the seat belts debates raged on? Remember how a few anti "forcing wearing of seat belts" used to relate obscure accidents where a driver was thrown clear of a car because he wasn't wearing his seat belt and he would have died if he had been wearing his seat belt being trapped in the car? We all laughed and didn't give these arguments much thought since who's going to bet on a million to one chance that an accident that happens to you is the extremely rare case where not wearing a seat belt is safer. But now during the air bag debate, we get to hear a wonderful story about how air bags would not be safe if the guy in the car next to you hits a deer on an interstate highway. Come on, lets stop relating strange accidents to support our arguments and not give any more credence to the one in a million accidents than they deserve. I don't understand how one bizarre accident can make up your mind about air bags forever. I'm much more influenced by articles in reputable magazines (Consumer Reports, etc.) than by scary stories. When hearing about accidents like this one, it seems important to keep in mind the statistical odds (the average from both sides of the issue) of them happening.