The Idiots In Washington Are At The Nanny State Again!!

The Fools in Washington now want to require every automobile to have a "back up camera" installed.  Understand right from the git-go that I am a huge fan of back up cameras.  I have used them in loaner cars from the dealer and in rental cars. I will certainly have one in my next new car.

What I do object to is the mathematics involved in this mandate.  So follow along.  In the U.S., there are usually 11 to 15 million automobiles sold every year.  Let's take 13 million as a good start.  The government estimates that the cameras can be installed for about $200.  Now they say there are about 300 fatalities annually that could be prevented with a back up camera.  (Let's beg the question that the driver has to use the camera for it to be effective.)  Multiply 13 million by $200, and then divide by 300 to get the amount of money that the government wants you (assuming you buy a new car) you to pay for this silly mandate..  It comes to over $43,000 for each life saved (theoretically at least).  And that is every year.

And what is worse is that we have done the same stupid trick before.  Air bags cost about $1,000 to install.  The best estimates are that air bags save about 300 lives annually.  Do the same math as above and you get over $200,000 spent to save each life.

And here is the kicker!!  The air bags are useless if you are NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT!!  If you are wearing a seat belt, the air bags don't do much.  (Thank Joan Claybrook, among others for this incredible piece of Nanny State stupidity.

Now here is the real kicker!!!

Every year, 467,000 Americans die of smoking related diseases.  And how much do we spend to save these lives?  Nothing!!