Car-Safety Features May Make Worse Drivers

Oct. 5, 2006 — -- Although a study released today shows side-impact air bags can reduce driver deaths by as much as 37 percent, human behavior may undercut the safety benefits, experts say.

The new study, by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, concluded side-impact air bags offered significant protection for passengers' heads during an accident.

"If all passenger vehicles had head-protecting side air bags for front-end occupants, we could save as many as 2,000 lives a year," said the institute's Anne McCartt.

Last month, the government announced it would require electronic stability control in all cars.

"Good Morning America" tested the technology earlier this year at a test track with Consumer Reports.

With stability control on, cars automatically adjust when the driver starts to lose control.

Despite these new safety measures, Purdue University engineering professor Fred Mannering points out that auto fatality rates are rising.

Mannering is the co-author of a study that finds the safer cars are made, the worse people drive.

"What we found is that people tend to compensate for advanced safety features such as anti-lock braking systems, air bags, [and] electronic stability packages by driving more aggressively," Mannering said.

In other words, if vehicles are safer, people may think they can drive faster and take more risks, which could mean more accidents.

"If we could find some way to modify the human behavior, then these would be truly effective," Mannering said.

But McCartt said that the new measures still provided extra safety, despite drivers' behavior.

"We looked at drivers in vehicles with the safety devices and drivers in vehicles without the safety devices. … And [we're] still finding a major safety benefit."

Obviously, nobody wants to stand in the way of progress, so new safety features are always welcome.

But people should remember to drive safely. Head-protecting side air bags will become standard in the year 2010.