Skeptics Stack Exchange
Skeptics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [safety]

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

158 questions
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Are BMW Owners the worst drivers?

BMW drivers are widely thought to be poor drivers. For example, in a poll for Auto Trader: Around 21,000 motorists were quizzed, and 45 per cent said BMW drivers were the worst on the road. Is this perception accurate? Are BMW owners more likely…
Tom77
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Does the "Double Demerit Point" scheme in parts of Australia reduce serious car accidents?

In Australia, drivers earn "demerit points" for committing driving offenses. Being awarded more than a certain number of demerit points in a given period (typically 12 in any 3 year period) results in license suspension. New South Wales, Western…
Oddthinking
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Does too much artificial lighting result in increased crime and safety problems?

According to a Washington Post article, Nebraska's tourism board is applying for dark sky certification for the Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area. As part of their application, they are planning dedicated educational programming related to…
pacoverflow
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Do cellphones pose any harm to pacemaker users?

In Japan it is very common to see signs on trains that encourage/require you to turn off your phone on trains, or just near the priority seating areas. The thinking goes that the signals somehow affect passengers with pacemakers and potentially…
Anonymous
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Is paramotoring the safest form of personal aviation?

Paramotoring is the of sport of powered paragliding, where participants strap a 2 stroke motor to their back and a parachute, which they dub a wing, in order to fly. Blackhawk Paramotor, America's (self proclaimed) largest paramotoring company…
tuskiomi
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Do strobes on top of school buses improve safety?

Background In many states of the USA, school buses are fitted with a "roof-mounted strobe". In some states, they are required by law: Mike Simmons, state director in Arkansas, says that the state's School Bus Safety Act of 1995 mandated that all…
user29285
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Is using a phone while driving more dangerous than driving while drunk?

There have been numerous studies that show how using a phone while driving is more distracting than other non-driving tasks and even worse than driving while intoxicated. Here was a study done in the US: When controlling for driving difficulty and…
Gabe
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Is water that can be set on fire safe to drink?

In this newly release video by RT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1A3x7AyIVo A man sets water on fire that is pouring from his well, the narrator reads: The local government of Texas, tells Steve Lipsky that the water from his well, water that he…
DMINATOR
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Is it dangerous to stand or squat on a toilet seat?

I got a recent junk mail with the photo attached https://i.stack.imgur.com/Xk5Ex.png (Warning: graphic images of the alleged injuries) About the danger in pooping standing position and its result. This claim is for real?
Madhu
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Will people start running against glass doors if they cannot see through?

We have a bit of a discussion with the administration of our university about putting up posters on the glass doors in our campus buildings. The hallways have a lot of doors made of glass which would make a great place for people to see information…
magnattic
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Does removing headguards in boxing reduce concussion?

In this tweet from the Economist: The International Boxing Association claims that concussions went down 43% when headguards were removed pic.twitter.com/95KltTdapB— The Economist (@TheEconomist) April 4, 2017 they report the international boxing…
matt_black
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Do frozen foods remain safe indefinitely?

I just found in my freezer some foie gras from two years ago. It's not cooked and is very well wrapped in aluminium foil and plastic foil. My freezer has been kept at -20 °C ( -4 °F) or below. I read at…
Pako Artal
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Is GHB safe to consume?

GHB is illegal and has received considerable media attention as a highly dangerous recreational drug, However, there is a June 1997 article by Life Enhancement Magazine, that endorses the use of GHB as a safe and effective anti-anxiety medication…
Housemeister
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Do Bluetooth headsets pose any health risks?

What's the current state of knowledge concerning health risks caused by Bluetooth headsets? What has been confirmed so far? I lack the expertise to evaluate which reports are trustworthy and which are not. Additionally, some people may suffer from…
Lernkurve
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Are rear-end collisions more dangerous in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) than Petrol cars?

Is it more dangerous to be in a passenger car with compressed natural gas than with a petrol fuel tank when it comes to rear-end collisions? Lawrence Godwin, on eZine claims there is a explosion risk with CNG vehicles, although suggests that they…
GregC
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