The effect of product safety regulation on safety precautions

Risk Anal. 1994 Dec;14(6):917-30. doi: 10.1111/j.1539-6924.1994.tb00061.x.

Abstract

This paper explores the means by which lighter safety regulations alter the precautionary behavior of 200 subjects in a field test of cigarette lighters with a child-resistant feature. The new lighter design leads respondents to believe the lighters are safer, but there is no clear-cut evidence that the effect on perceived risk levels is excessive. Using the estimated relationship between cigarette lighter risk perceptions and a variety of measures of precautions, this paper provides explicit estimates of the effect of regulations on precautionary behavior and on lighter safety. On balance, the child-resistant feature will reduce fire-related injuries by much more than any diminished precaution taking.

MeSH terms

  • Accident Prevention*
  • Adult
  • Burns / prevention & control
  • Child
  • Child Welfare
  • Child, Preschool
  • Consumer Product Safety / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Consumer Product Safety / standards*
  • Device Approval
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Safety / standards*
  • Female
  • Fires / prevention & control
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Linear Models
  • Male
  • Regression Analysis
  • Risk Assessment
  • United States