IIHS: Side Airbags Cut Deaths Nearly in Half

[Ornery]

Manufacturers should be mandated to install specific safety devices because you may be "upset" at the harm you cause to someone in an accident. 😕

Holy shite, SuperTool's argument looks like pure genius now! Uh, where does this leave motorcyclists in the mix?

 

[xEDIT409]

I have them in my Envoy and Vibe.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Ornery
Manufacturers should be mandated to install specific safety devices because you may be "upset" at the harm you cause to someone in an accident. 😕

Holy shite, SuperTool's argument looks like pure genius now! Uh, where does this leave motorcyclists in the mix?

no, i'm saying you should wear your seatbelt out of common courtesy for the guy who has to clean your ass up off the pavement. plus the shorter cleanup time would lessen traffic problems

 

[Ornery]

Whew, for a second there I thought you were being serious. 😀

 

[SuperTool]

If government can mandate seatbelts and front airbags, it can mandate side airbags and ABS. That's all.

 

[Acts837]

My son's looking at the new Protege and he "will" get the side impact bags

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: SuperTool
If government can mandate seatbelts and front airbags, it can mandate side airbags and ABS. That's all.

The government CAN do a lot of things. That doesn't mean it SHOULD do them.

When you start protecting people from themselves where does it stop? Case after case has proven the slippery slope exists. The more we abdicate personal responsibility to the government, the more helpless we become, and the more freedoms we lose.

Look, I'm all for car makers (any product, actually) offering safety features. In fact, I look for them when I buy a product. I just do not believe it is right for government to mandate them. I think if safety features are worthy, the people will demand them.

Look at the very topic of this thread: side airbags. The majority of cars already have them, and they are NOT mandated yet.

 

[StageLeft]

This is one of the first major reasons I'd considered a VW, because so few cars have side impact bags and VWs come standard. I'm pretty well sold on them myself and if my car had that option buying new I'd choose it.

 

[vi edit]

My biggest problems is when car manufacturers require you order some overpriced "luxury" package for $1000-$2000 before you can option out saftey features like ABS or side impact air bags.

If there was a law preventing car manf. from requiring you to purchase a $2000 luxury option before you could buy a couple hundred dollar saftey feature I'd have no qualms about it.