Skeptics Stack Exchange
Skeptics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [safety]

The balance of benefit versus harm of an activity, device, technology or substance.

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Are big cars and SUVs safer than small cars or do they just *feel* safer?

I've long observed that many drivers in the UK choose SUVs (which are often disparagingly called Chelsea Tractors) do so at least partially because they believe such cars to be safer. I doubt this claim. More importantly, the debate about safety has…
matt_black
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Are slick bicycle tires more slippery in the wet?

I always assumed slick (tread-less) tires were more prone to loss of traction in the wet. That is until I read this answer on the bicycles SE which claims that bicycle tires are too thin, round and firm to experience hydroplaning. Is there any…
Nathan Baulch
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How unhealthy are aluminum cooking pans?

It is regularly stated that aluminum cooking pans are unhealthy, but I come accross them very often. I see people cooking both alkaline and acid foods in them, scrape them with metal, leave food overnight in them, wrap sandwiches in aluminum foil…
user4513
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Are 20% of automobile drivers under the influence of marijuana?

An article by Quinton James and Johnkeria Kinglocke titled "The Truth About Marijuana" published on the website of the Hanley Foundation (an anti-drug abuse organization in Florida) claims (my emphasis): Would you allow someone to drive you while…
Robert Columbia
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Was there a Soviet anti-motorcycle-helmet campaign in the late 1950s and early 1960s?

Lessig (1995, pp. 964–965) writes: Before the 1960s, motorcyclists in Soviet Russia did not wear helmets. In part this was because of a lack of any perceived need to wear helmets; in part it was because the Soviet economy failed to produce any…
user17967
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Are roads more dangerous when it first rains?

From DriversEd.com: Rain: Slow down at the first sign of rain, drizzle, or snow on the road. This is when many road surfaces are most slippery because moisture mixes with oil and dust that has not been washed away. Is it true that roads are more…
rtpax
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Are British plugs safer than all other plugs?

There is a very interesting Youtube Video British Plugs Are Better Than All Other Plugs, And Here's Why that indicates some engineering reasons why the British power plug is safer than for example the American style power plug. As you can see in the…
Brian M. Hunt
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Does marijuana impair driving?

Is the use of cannabis/marijuana/THC associated with risks when driving a motor vehicle, similar to impairment from the use of alcohol? The conclusions of public studies seem inconsistent. For example, norml.org's Marijuana and Driving: A Review of…
Brian M. Hunt
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Are bone conduction headphones safer with regards to hearing loss?

In this video, at about 1:35, a claim is made that bone conduction headphones are safer with regards to hearing loss, because the sound doesn't "affect the eardrum". Is that true? I thought hearing loss is caused by damage to the hair cells in the…
houbysoft
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Is nuclear fusion energy as safe as its proponents claim?

With my limited knowledge of the process of nuclear fusion energy, this seems like one of the most promising methods for producing huge amounts of energy, with relatively very low risk, once researchers manage to control the process. The claim goes…
Decent Dabbler
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Do green grapes cause more accidents on the London Underground than banana peels?

In Teary Deary's Horrible Histories: London, he claims that green grapes cause more accidents on the London Underground (I presume subway) than banana peels. This claim is also repeated in several forums or…
Fluidized Pigeon Reactor
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Does nuclear power cause fewer deaths than other forms of electricity production, accidents included?

There have been several questions related to nuclear power in comparison to other forms of electricity production: Are there fewer accidental deaths at nuclear power plants than others? Do coal plants release more radiation than nuclear power…
juhist
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Are sharp knives safer to use than dull knives for preparing food when cooking?

There seems to be an agreement that sharp knives are much safer than dull ones when you are cutting vegetables, meat, anything you cut with a chefs knife when you cook and prepare food. The reason for it seems to be that you have to use less force…
bogen
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Do elderly drivers cause the most accidents?

Has it been statistically or empirically proven that elderly drivers (65 and over) are responsible for more accidents than any other age group? Some offer figures such as: In 2001 drivers over 70 were involved in fewer crashes per 100,000…
Monkey Tuesday
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Is riding with strangers unsafe?

A commonly taught adage is to never accept a ride from a stranger. This applies mostly to children and goes hand in hand with warnings about accepting gifts from strangers. Now, having grown older, I cannot think of anyone amongst my friends,…
MrHen
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