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Risk: Why Smart People Have Dumb Accidents - And What We Can Learn From Them
Previously published as Careful!
The modern world can be a dangerous place, filled with fast cars, smart phones, drugs and extreme sports. Meanwhile, we humans are as fragile as ever. In fact, after a century of decline in injuries and accidental deaths they are on the rise again. The question is – why?
Steve Casner has devoted his career to studying the psychology of safety, and he knows that there’s not a safety warning we won't ignore, or a fool-proof device we can't turn into an implement of disaster.
Based on years of research and understanding of human behavior learnt as a research psychologist, Risk is the definitive user-guide to avoiding everyday calamity. It will help us understand why we behave in such contradictory ways – insisting on fat-free salad dressing but then texting while driving – and explain the psychological traps that can lead us to the scene of an accident. By showing us how and when injuries happen, we learn what we should really be worrying about.
Helping to keep our fingers attached in the kitchen, our children afloat at the pool and teenagers safe behind the wheel, Casner shows us all the ways we can take control of our own safety and get through the day in one piece.
Kindle Edition
First published May 23, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
May 13, 2017
This was an interesting and surprisingly witty book that justified all the paranoid behaviors I already have. Lots of scary statistics but also practical ideas about how to be safer.
*I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
*I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
June 14, 2017
I knew I was in trouble when early in the book I see, "In a recent study, my colleague...found that while driving on open stretches of road, drivers spend significant amounts of their time engaged in what we call mind wandering or task-unrelated thought." Really.
Statistics are simply presented, usually combined with a corollary from the aviation world, since the author reminds us he is a pilot. No cutting edge psychology here, but instead only simple advice you probably already know and a thorough rehashing of past topics like safety near pools, power tools and texting while driving.
Statistics are simply presented, usually combined with a corollary from the aviation world, since the author reminds us he is a pilot. No cutting edge psychology here, but instead only simple advice you probably already know and a thorough rehashing of past topics like safety near pools, power tools and texting while driving.
June 26, 2017
A very common-sensical book that shows how our minds are much less keen and observing than we think and how easy it would be for disaster to strike at all times. Some parts of the book are chilling, like those describing accidents that impact children. He has convinced me of the merits of lists to prepare for various activities. Also, I will never again walk around near traffic with my earphones on, nor will i ride a taxi without a seatbelt on. I won't remove my seatbelt in the plane whenever I'm sitting down. And I will start taking tai chi classes in a few years, since tai chi is the perfect sport for people over 70 who don't want to become casualties by falling down. All in all a necessary if upsetting read.
June 25, 2017
Be safe, we care about you..
This book strengthened my already strong inclinations to avoid preventable injuries and to help family and friends do likewise. The style is clear and conversational. I heartily recommend it.
This book strengthened my already strong inclinations to avoid preventable injuries and to help family and friends do likewise. The style is clear and conversational. I heartily recommend it.
September 6, 2017
I got a paper cut reading this book. Okay, just kidding. This is a thoroughly engaging and fascinating look at how injury prone we've become and possible reasons why. It has totally cured me of looking at my cellphone while driving, even at stop signs. The author, a psychologist and aviator, discusses lot of workplace issues. I work in a hospital, where being error-proof is a must, and have recommended Careful to all my colleagues.
October 12, 2017
This book was funny, educational, and terrifying!! It should be required reading for everyone, especially those who drive.
August 7, 2017
This is a great book about public and personal safety issues. Well researched and presented in an engaging, thoughtful way.
July 10, 2017
3.5 stars Mostly this book left me worried and scared of all the decisions I make in my daily life. It was an enjoyable read and I appreciating Steve self-depreciating sense of humor.
Now, I'd like to think that I'll be a little more careful in my daily activities. Steve seems to think that I will most likely just return to my usual activities and land myself in the Darwin Awards.
Now, I'd like to think that I'll be a little more careful in my daily activities. Steve seems to think that I will most likely just return to my usual activities and land myself in the Darwin Awards.
October 14, 2017
Should be studied in schools.
October 7, 2017
My reading this book might have saved a woman's life yesterday. Definitely worth the read and heeding the advice.
December 2, 2018
Great content, you could look at it as a way of building more resilience into your life and prevent things you could regret for your whole life. There’s a lot you can learn about human nature in here. I just wished the book had a different editor. Not just because of a few apparent slips. I also couldn’t figure out what author wants from us until the last chapter / I couldn’t get into the flow. Anyway, it was worth the time, I’ll flip through the book again and take out some habit improvement ideas. And I’ll pick it up again when I’ll have kids. (some scary stories in there)
December 11, 2017
Pros: Lots of good safety tips!
Cons: Needed additional copy-editing ("lime disease"); I think the book would have worked better with the stories as cutaway boxes, and photos, more of an interactive read; this book should not be read by anyone already scared of flying, because even though your chances of issues while flying are ridiculously low (as I already knew and the book states), this book still managed to have multiple examples of things that can go wrong.
Cons: Needed additional copy-editing ("lime disease"); I think the book would have worked better with the stories as cutaway boxes, and photos, more of an interactive read; this book should not be read by anyone already scared of flying, because even though your chances of issues while flying are ridiculously low (as I already knew and the book states), this book still managed to have multiple examples of things that can go wrong.
May 24, 2018
interesting and useful but somewhat repetative. not sad i read it though.
October 10, 2018
I found this to be an eye-opening book. Due to many perceptions, one is apt to place oneself in danger. For instance, we are unable to multi-task. We can only switch our attention. This causes us not to be fully focused on the task at hand, and we can easily get hurt. Becoming more mindful of what we are doing will help reduce the chances of accidents.
Research is showing that we become less concerned with others (self-preservation) and ignore signals and advice. This makes sense from an ancient view, as in flight or fight. However, we are subject to so many shiny objects these days, that we start to become overwhelmed.
One way that we can protect ourselves is to think ahead. Try to imagine what could go wrong with what you are doing so that you can try to prevent issues. This would also help you to focus and to bring awareness to the task. Accidents are not waiting to happen. With a little insight and preparation, most are avoidable.
Research is showing that we become less concerned with others (self-preservation) and ignore signals and advice. This makes sense from an ancient view, as in flight or fight. However, we are subject to so many shiny objects these days, that we start to become overwhelmed.
One way that we can protect ourselves is to think ahead. Try to imagine what could go wrong with what you are doing so that you can try to prevent issues. This would also help you to focus and to bring awareness to the task. Accidents are not waiting to happen. With a little insight and preparation, most are avoidable.
February 3, 2019
“A how-to guide to keep you safe since you’re an accident prone person”
This book takes you through all the likely and unlikely scenarios in which being reckless or risky can seal your fate 6 feet under. With bits of humor sprinkled in, Casner tries his darndest to warn readers of the implicit dangers lurking in everyday tasks when we don’t factor in the likelihood of making mistakes. He attempts to bring our shortcomings to light and strategize for the inevitable slip-up.
Even though crossing a street properly (which seems pretty obvious when you’ve made it 25+ years) made up a fair portion of this book, I did come out of it with more scientific findings to back up the things I already knew - for example, when you send a text at a red light and put your phone down to drive through the intersection, you still have ~15 seconds of a processing period in which you’re not fully focused on driving. Apparently, we’re not multitaskers. At all.
This book takes you through all the likely and unlikely scenarios in which being reckless or risky can seal your fate 6 feet under. With bits of humor sprinkled in, Casner tries his darndest to warn readers of the implicit dangers lurking in everyday tasks when we don’t factor in the likelihood of making mistakes. He attempts to bring our shortcomings to light and strategize for the inevitable slip-up.
Even though crossing a street properly (which seems pretty obvious when you’ve made it 25+ years) made up a fair portion of this book, I did come out of it with more scientific findings to back up the things I already knew - for example, when you send a text at a red light and put your phone down to drive through the intersection, you still have ~15 seconds of a processing period in which you’re not fully focused on driving. Apparently, we’re not multitaskers. At all.
January 14, 2018
Review score: 7.5/10
For the majority of last century, accidents and preventable injuries were on the decline. This was due to increased innovation, safety measures and design, as well as better regulation and improved practices such as workplace health and safety. But since 2000, these numbers have been increasing again and Steve Casner is all too aware of this through his work as a research psychologist with NASA. It is his job to make our skies a safe place and in his book, Careful! The Surprising Science behind Everyday Calamities he compiles a lot of his research and experiences with human behaviour into an accessible volume that should prevent us from becoming another calamity Jane or John Doe.
To read the rest of this review please visit: http://magazine.100percentrock.com/re...
For the majority of last century, accidents and preventable injuries were on the decline. This was due to increased innovation, safety measures and design, as well as better regulation and improved practices such as workplace health and safety. But since 2000, these numbers have been increasing again and Steve Casner is all too aware of this through his work as a research psychologist with NASA. It is his job to make our skies a safe place and in his book, Careful! The Surprising Science behind Everyday Calamities he compiles a lot of his research and experiences with human behaviour into an accessible volume that should prevent us from becoming another calamity Jane or John Doe.
To read the rest of this review please visit: http://magazine.100percentrock.com/re...
June 19, 2022
As someone working in the safety industry and someone who's researched the psychology of safety, Steve Casner breaks down the many ways human beings can get into accidents -- oh sorry, I meant "preventable injuries" -- every day: Through working with tools in our house, through our everyday commute (either by driving or walking), or by being at the wrong place at the wrong time (e.g. getting caught up in natural disasters as it unfolded).
Oftentimes, the events that can lead us to the everyday calamities can be due to a variety of reasons, but it's mainly because we humans are awful at assessing risks since we don't always have the statistics at hand to help us decide whether whatever we are undertaking at the time is worth the risk. There's a lot of talk about the psychology behind this which I enjoyed, and Casner's injection of wit and humor helps in making this a more entertaining read.
While some of the insights and advice offered in this book can seem like "common sense" to some, it's not going to be common sense to others since not everyone has been exposed to the same culture and thinking when it comes to safety. "Careful!" is thus an invaluable tool in making us stop and think about how we approach and mitigate the inherent risks we face on a day-to-day basis.
Oftentimes, the events that can lead us to the everyday calamities can be due to a variety of reasons, but it's mainly because we humans are awful at assessing risks since we don't always have the statistics at hand to help us decide whether whatever we are undertaking at the time is worth the risk. There's a lot of talk about the psychology behind this which I enjoyed, and Casner's injection of wit and humor helps in making this a more entertaining read.
While some of the insights and advice offered in this book can seem like "common sense" to some, it's not going to be common sense to others since not everyone has been exposed to the same culture and thinking when it comes to safety. "Careful!" is thus an invaluable tool in making us stop and think about how we approach and mitigate the inherent risks we face on a day-to-day basis.
July 23, 2017
This is 2.5 star review. I'm one of those people who always wears a helmet when biking so I'm clearly someone who prioritizes safety and was looking forward to finding out new information on how to be safer. Unfortunately I didn't really learn anything I didn't already know. Perhaps I learned some new ways to think about safety (and some fun new descriptions) but in sum you'll get everything you need to know in the first 90 pages. Lots of stories and interesting statistics but I can't say I'm going to be safer now than I was before I read it.
November 28, 2021
This is more of a philosophical book about safety rather than a pragmatic one. It seeks to explain why we engage in unsafe behaviors instead of focusing on specific steps we can make to be safer. Nonetheless it is well written and engaging. Some sections are quite memorable such as examples of how when we follow peers we can become unsafe and how important simple behaviors are like looking both ways before crossing
March 10, 2022
I think some of the more completely negative reviews would be from people who couldn’t make it past the first half. It is a potpourri of social science, which isn’t a good thing. But this book does have some good ideas and thoughts. It’s just let down by some sections of compete paranoia and tenuous connections. I don’t agree with the author on a lot of conclusions and there are some misleading statistics in the book.
November 5, 2017
2.5 stars for Steve Casner's book. Lots of statistics about how/why humans are prone to injury presented in an entertaining manner. I can easily see this book being devoured by undergrad psychology students. For the rest of us you may pick and choose your chapters at random to learn why we don't follow advice, run red lights, use tools incorrectly, etc.
August 11, 2017
Summary: everyone makes mistakes including Super-geniuses. NOBODY is good at multitasking. MOST of us are not even very good at paying attention to one thing at a time. Do not use a screwdriver for anything except driving screws. If you want to be safer, find ways NOT to use an automobile.
August 5, 2018
Humorous and fun, but a very good guide to why we do dumb things.
December 2, 2018
Sensible look at how we injure ourselves and how often our thinking is to blame, with sound advice on how to circumvent this weakness to lead safer lives.
January 9, 2019
Really interesting about human psychology but also I learned a lot about the airline industry.
March 30, 2019
Boring title but unexpectedly great read 🙂!
April 1, 2019
A perfectly adequate book to make you think a little more critically about what you can do to avoid injury. You probably already know this stuff but you almost can't be reminded too often.
November 9, 2019
read my full review at https://aarifbillah.com/careful-a-use...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews