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From: preece@uicsl.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Re: safe drivers and annual tests - (nf)
Message-ID: <2342@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 29-Jun-83 22:48:59 EDT
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.2342
Posted: Wed Jun 29 22:48:59 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 1-Jul-83 20:21:32 EDT
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#R:ittvax:-81000:uicsl:4300035:000:1021
uicsl!preece    Jun 29 07:58:00 1983

Leichter opposes airbags because they are unneeded by those bright
enough to wear seatbelts and suggests we should instead work on
changing people, rather than cars.

Well, I use my seatbelt, but I'd be perfectly happy to have
airbags too. In a serious collision the combination would be
much better than just the standard belt and strap. The bag would
also offer backup protection in the event of belt failure.
(I've heard that this is not uncommon in severe accidents; has
anyone seen statistics?)

I must also confess that there are people important to me who
do not use seatbelts. I'd like to seen them protected from
their foolishness (I wish I could offer something as effective
to some friends and relatives who are smokers). There are people who I don't
want to write off just because they can't adjust to wearing
seatbelts.

I don't think the cost is all that high in view of the
cost of the airbags' absence -- many thousands of deaths.

scott preece
uiuc - coordinated science lab
pur-ee!uiucdcs!uicsl!preece