Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!decvax!harpo!floyd!whuxlb!pyuxll!eisx!npoiv!npois!hogpc!houxm!ihnp4!ixn5c!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!uicsl!preece 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 Lines: 27 #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