Are we more likely to take risks if we feel protected? Do safety belts, air bags, and anti-lock brakes lead to more risky driving, for instance? This is one of the most controversial questions in the field of safety.
It's an issue many safety professionals ignore or deny. Obviously, the notion that personal protective equipment could encourage risky behavior is extremely repugnant. But we need to explore this issue: Do we compensate -adjust our behavior- for perceptions of safety?