I am privy to a study performed jointly by GM and the casualty insurance industry, which revealed the following:
The driver’s side seat belt, when buckled, increases the survivability of a front-end collision by 65%. When the driver’s side air bag is added, it provides another 5% survivability.
The passenger side seat belt afforded 85% increased survivability, with the air bag adding a statistical benefit close to zero. Note the reference here is to survivability and no claim was made as to reduced injury.
The study was presented when the government, already having mandated the driver’s side airbag, was attempting (and, of course, succeeded) in mandating the passenger side airbag.
The argument by the auto makers was that there was negligible benefit to the passenger inflatable restraint, and it was predicted that there may be other dangerous consequences, and of course, an extra five hundred dollars was added to the cost to produce.
The “other dangerous consequences” turned out to be the death of several under 80 pound children, and the fact that the passenger airbag many times breaks the windshield during a collision.
In short, you cannot buy a vehicle without the passenger air bag, but it has near-zero value to safety, especially when the cost and the safety negatives are factored in.
The other mandated plagues to the manufacturers include the oxygen sensors in the exhaust, which constantly go bad at a tremendous cost to the car makers (and ultimately to you), and the Tire Pressure Monitors, which cause more trouble than they save, because the air in your tires expands and contracts with temperature extremes, rendering the monitors valueless when compared to added cost by virtue of needless visits to the repair shop to turn the lights off.
Your vehicles would be several thousand dollars cheaper without these mandates of dubious value.
———The other mandated plagues to the manufacturers include the oxygen sensors in the exhaust, which constantly go bad at a tremendous cost to the car makers (and ultimately to you),-——
Thank you, thank you, thank you......... The engine light came on and I took it to the dealer. Diagnosis: “lazy oxygen sensor”
Subsequently I asked about it and was advised not to worry if the O2 sensor was out because it essentially did nothing important. Replacement cost $453
I now have some confirmation
Vehicle Dodge Sprinter with 5 cylinder turbo diesel
I personally think cars are too safe anyway. Its killing the professionalism and instinct that we used to develop behind the wheel.
I don’t want traction control or brakes that activate because the car senses that I’m about to have an accident.