Consumer activist: When antilock brakes were first introduced, it was claimed that they would significantly reduce the incidence of multiple-car collisions, thereby saving lives. Indeed, antilock brakes have reduced the incidence of multiple-car collisions. I maintain, however, that to save lives, automobile manufacturers ought to stop equipping cars with them.

"Surprising" Phenomenon

If antilock brakes have reduced the incidence of multiple-car collisions, why does the consumer activist maintain that, to save lives, automobile manufacturers ought to stop equipping cars with antilock brakes?

Objective

The correct answer must identify how manufacturing cars without antilock brakes could directly or indirectly save more lives than manufacturing cars with antilock brakes even though antilock brakes have reduced the occurrence of multiple-car collisions.

A
Drivers and passengers in automobiles with antilock brakes feel less vulnerable, and are thus less likely to wear seat belts.

If fewer people wear seat belts while driving with antilock brakes than without, the lack of seatbelt usage could cause more lost lives than the number of lives saved from the reduction in multiple-car collisions because of antilock brakes.

B
Under some circumstances, automobiles with traditional brakes stop just as quickly as do automobiles with antilock brakes.

The stimulus tells us that antilock brakes have led to a decrease in multiple-car collisions, so this is irrelevant.

C
For inexperienced drivers, antilock brakes are easier to use correctly than are traditional brakes.

The level of difficulty of correctly using antilock brakes doesn’t matter. We want to know why the consumer activist advises that, to save lives, automobile manufacturers ought to stop equipping cars with antilock brakes.

D
Antilock brakes are considerably more expensive to manufacture than are traditional brakes.

The cost of manufacturing antilock brakes is irrelevant. We need an answer that helps explain how producing cars without antilock brakes could save more lives than producing cars with antilock brakes.

E
Antilock brakes are no more effective in preventing multiple-car accidents than in preventing other kinds of traffic accidents.

The stimulus tells us that antilock brakes have led to a reduction in multiple-car accidents, so (E) doesn’t matter.


7 comments

In older commercial airplanes, the design of the control panel allows any changes in flight controls made by one member of the flight crew to be immediately viewed by the other crew members. In recently manufactured aircraft, however, a crew member’s flight control changes are harder to observe, thereby eliminating a routine means for performing valuable cross-checks. As a result, the flight crews operating recently manufactured airplanes must inform each other verbally about flight control changes much more frequently.

Summary
In older commercial airplanes, flight crew members could immediately see changes made in the plane’s flight control panel. However, in newer airplanes these changes are harder for crew members to see, therefore eliminating a means for cross-checks. As a result, flight crews operating newer airplanes must verbally inform each other about control panel changes much more often.

Strongly Supported Conclusions
The frequency flight crew members must talk to each other about changes to a plane’s flight controls depends on what other means for communicating these changes are available.

A
How frequently an airplane’s flight crew members will inform each other verbally about flight control changes depends in large part on how long it takes to perform those changes.
This answer is unsupported. We don’t know from the stimulus how long it takes for crew members to make any changes to a flight’s control.
B
In recently manufactured aircraft, the most valuable means available for performing cross-checks involves frequent verbal exchanges of information among the flight crew members.
This answer is unsupported. We don’t know from the stimulus whether the crew talking amongst themselves is “the most valuable means available” to them. There could exist other methods that weren’t mentioned and are more valuable.
C
In older commercial airplanes, in contrast to recently manufactured airplanes, flight crew members have no need to exchange information verbally about flight control changes.
This answer is unsupported. We don’t know that crew members had no need to talk to each other in older airplanes. We only know from the stimulus that in newer airplanes, crew members must talk to each other more often.
D
The flight crew members operating a recently manufactured airplane cannot observe the flight control changes made by other crew members by viewing the control panel.
This answer is unsupported. We only know from the stimulus that, in newer airplanes, changes to the control panel are harder for crew members to see. Harder to see does not imply that these changes are impossible to see.
E
How often flight crew members must share information verbally about flight control changes depends in part on what other means for performing cross-checks are available to the crew.
This answer is strongly supported. The change in crew member’s ability to directly see changes in a flight’s control panel caused the crew members to talk with each other more frequently.

11 comments