by MSI » Thu May 13, 2010 10:23 am
May 13, 2010: Chicago Tribune columnist Steve Chapman finds the knee jerk reaction of Congress on the safety bill a bunch of political posturing. He states that "Profit-making corporations actually have a strong business interest in keeping their customers alive.They can also make money by offering products that reduce rather than maximize the buyer's chances of dying in a fiery crash. Just as there are markets for auto style, power, versatility, luxury and sportiness, there is a market for safety."
Dave McCurdy, president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, told Waxman's committee members that "automakers have developed many of today's significant safety innovations without a government mandate, including anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, adaptive headlights, side airbags and curtains, front passenger safety belt reminder systems and advanced collision avoidance features like lane departure warning, blind spot monitors and adaptive cruise control."
"Those improvements are among the reasons that last year, the number of traffic deaths was the lowest since 1954 — even though there are twice as many drivers, traveling four times as many miles, as there were back then."
See
Congress accelerates out of control
May 13, 2010: Chicago Tribune columnist Steve Chapman finds the knee jerk reaction of Congress on the safety bill a bunch of political posturing. He states that "Profit-making corporations actually have a strong business interest in keeping their customers alive.They can also make money by offering products that reduce rather than maximize the buyer's chances of dying in a fiery crash. Just as there are markets for auto style, power, versatility, luxury and sportiness, there is a market for safety."
Dave McCurdy, president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, told Waxman's committee members that "automakers have developed many of today's significant safety innovations without a government mandate, including anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, adaptive headlights, side airbags and curtains, front passenger safety belt reminder systems and advanced collision avoidance features like lane departure warning, blind spot monitors and adaptive cruise control."
"Those improvements are among the reasons that last year, the number of traffic deaths was the lowest since 1954 — even though there are twice as many drivers, traveling four times as many miles, as there were back then."
See [url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-oped-0513-chapman-20100513,0,6842104.column?page=1]Congress accelerates out of control[/url]