This thread reminds me of
this thread. Cars are a lot more safe than just a few years ago, but there is a long way to go.
For the past 6 years I've helped develop devices which improve automotive safety. The amount of development and testing required for each device that is designed for a vehicle is staggering. in spite of this, new devices are constantly being developed and becoming available on more vehicles.
This discussion is another great example of what's good about these forums. Hopefully some students reading this will be involved in reducing these dreadful statistics by helping implement these ideas.