Safety is a value pursued by nearly everyone. We want to be safe. We don’t want to be exposed to undue risk. We take precautions. We buy safety devices. We read books or articles on safety issues. We purchase insurance to help defray the costs when our precautions prove insuffcient. There is ample evidence that people are generally safety conscious.
Some poilcy makers, however, find the measures adopted volunarily by a safety-conscious population inadequate. People do not always buy thre safest vehicles. Nor do they always drive them in the most careful manner. Some safety-related features (seat belts and mortorcycle helments, for example) are ignored more often than not. Obviously, the behavior of road users is not as safe as it could be. Pherhaps a greater degree of government coercion would produce desirable improvements in highway safety?
Please note The Heartland Institute’s phone number and address have changed since this document was created. The correct contact information is The Heartland Institute, 19 South LaSalle Street #903, Chicago, IL 60603; phone 312/377-4000; fax 312/377-5000; email [email protected].
