Quote:
Originally Posted by David Beale
. . . The fact the Prius doesn't lock the doors by itself is NOT a "safety issue". It's how most cars work. If you want the doors locked, lock them! If you want auto locking doors, I'm sure somebody can install an aftermarket module to do so. Or you could go buy a Lexus hybrid, perhaps they have that feature.
BTW, the EMTs who man the highway ambulances don't want you to lock your doors. It makes it harder for them to save your life!
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I'm sorry, David, but here we must disagree (about your EMT statement).
Car door locks are designed to help keep the doors closed in case of accidents. This, in turn, keeps the occupants inside the passenger compartment of the car and decreases their chances of being ejected in those cases where the door opens. Even with a seat belt properly in use, if the door opens, your torso could extend past the door opening's frame and be seriously injured if the door springs shut again.
If the First Responders (EMT/Police/Fire Dept/etc) need to open the door in case the occupants are unresponsive and the door is locked, they can break open windows and unlock the door.
I do agree that you can easily just lock the door manually or purchase the Lock-Pick style mods. (At least, auto door-locks are standard on my TCH and I have them set to lock when shifting out of Park or when exceeding 12 miles per hour.
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