The Out-Lawyer's Blog

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THE OUT-LAWYER RANTS…

Darwin vs. Nanny

The evidence accumulates.  The “Nanny State” efforts of the advocates and regulators who seek to impose a risk free life on the rest of us have run up against the laws of nature.  For every attempt to legislate or impose a “safer life” nature automatically imposes a hidden but very real set of costs.

Consider the latest, but not the last case of Mom or Dad “forgetting” that quiet infant in the back seat, only to discover a dead child a few hours later. 

A distracted, forgetful, narcissistic, but now horrified, parent is just another “victim” of 21st century life? I’m waiting for the lawsuit. 

“You made me carry my infant in the back seat.  You should have known I’d forget!  What’s a poor parent supposed to do?” 

Only a few of these neglectful parents are prosecuted criminally; this from a society that has temporarily paralyzed law enforcement’s efforts to deter murderers, because we’re squeamish about putting down a convicted serial child killer by employing essentially the same technology we routinely use to retire a beloved pet. 

This is one thoroughly confused culture.

Our small ones are carried in the back seat for sound reasons.  It’s safer there because the safety explosives (air bags) in the front seat were designed to protect the life of an archetypical 5 foot 8 inch, 180 pound male in a high speed collision.  As a recent police bulletin warned us: “Airbags detonate with more than 1200 lbs of force at speeds that can exceed 230 mph.”  And yes, both children and adults have been killed by air bag detonations.

Now don’t get me wrong.  A similar source tells us that “Children are up to 29 percent safer riding in the back seat versus the front seat, whether the vehicle has an air bag or not.”

Of course pickup trucks don’t have a back seat.

Another official source discloses: “[Airbag] injuries are far more prevalent than deaths, but the data is difficult to evaluate because accidents and injuries are voluntarily reported to the National Automotive Sampling System and include information not investigated and verified. But these are the best information available.  Injuries are not recognized as an issue or tracked by NHTSA.”

I am reliably informed that Dr Maria-Segui Gomez, a respected airbag researcher, has found that at speeds lower that 32-28 miles per hour, “the potential for injury from airbags outweighs the benefits”.  Females, the elderly, children and shorter males beware. 

And don’t ever get within 12 to 14 inches of an airbag detonation.  From another very credible report, we learn: “Turning sideways [at detonation] can break the neck or spine. This is even worse when the passenger is not wearing a seatbelt with pre-tensioners because the passengers arrive very close to the dash just as the airbag detonates.” 

Truck manufacturers and several aftermarket vendors now supply a “turn off” switch for airbags.  But the government is “concerned”.  After all, we drivers can’t always be trusted to use these switches “responsibly.”

Not to worry, smart, computer controlled airbags are under development. Just as soon as they are on the market (we are told that is to be 2012, otherwise known as “Nanny Year”), those “off” switches will be illegal.

I’m all for safety.  But I’m also for personal accountability.  If you really care about automobile safety, stay sober, alert and off the cell phone while operating fast moving heavy machinery. 

Want something a lot safer than airbags?  Invest in a five or six point safety harness.  Check in your back seat – Little Jimmie probably already has one.  For that matter, so do your favorite NASCAR drivers.

JBG