Interventions designed to keep people safe can have hidden side effects. With an increased perception of safety, some people are more likely to take risks.
For example, some vehicle drivers take more risks when they are buckled up in a shoulder-and-lap belt. Some construction workers step closer to the edge of the roof because they are hooked to a fall-protection rope. Some parents of young children take less care with medicine bottles that are “childproof” and thus difficult to open.
Techniques designed to reduce harm can promote a false sense of security and increase risky behavior and unintentional injuries.
