2005 -> 2015. same drivers, ~2x decrease in the death rate. The newest car is the safest car.
https://www.edmunds.com/car-safety/are- ... -cars.html
The fatality rate dropped from 1.73 (1994) to 1.08 per 100M miles
https://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Main/index.aspx
in 1922, an average driver was a safety-conscious middle-aged well-off businessman and the rate was > 20/100Mmiles
Now -> anyone, ~1/100Mmiles
https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehic ... and-rates/
Most popular wrong belief - the sturdy car is the best. The opposite is true. The car shall self-destroy to save occupants.
Most important improvements: collapsing wheel and safety belts.
Rally cars are always equipped with a roll cage, and helmets are mandatory. It makes the cars much safer. and It saved thousands of lives.
People have never been perfect, are not and will never be. People are as good as it gets. Noone can react sooner than 220 ms on visual stimuli, and < 550ms if they need to think. Noone can maintain attention on the road all the time - impossible. Cars, roads & rules shall be safe for real, existing imperfect people.