Yes. Regulation isn’t just about addressing a specific design problem, but about encouraging a desired behavior. The fact that Ford knew about the issue but said and did nothing means the issue wasn’t overblown; the attitude behind that decision was more dangerous than the car itself. It’s not just about counting fatality and injuries in a vacuum, it’s about the context.
Case in point: The Cybertruck is estimated to be 17 times more deadly than the Pinto. And nothing is being done about it…which shows the consequences of letting companies think they can ignore safety issues. If nothing had been done about the Pinto it’s nearly a given that the next model of car Ford produced would be more dangerous, because why not?
My dad bought a 1972 Pinto with the gas tank flaw as well as the first generation of Firestone Steel-belted Radials. He used it as a commuting car for a couple of years until the oldest child was old enough to drive. All recalls were complied with, so the gas tank was not so much of an issue after that.
The radials on the other hand…
There was a flaw in the design which resulted in the steel belts overheating at highway speeds, resulting in the tire de-laminating and just coming apart while driving down the road. To the Pinto’s credit, with its wide and low wheelbase, it was so stable that the main reason the occupants knew that another tire had blown was an increase in road noise.
The tire came with a road hazard guarantee which resulted in a replacement at nominal cost, so we went through probably 3 complete sets before Firestone got the problem solved.
Four teenagers learned to drive on that Pinto and it was involved in 3 accidents although no rear-end ones. The only major repair (other than body-work from the accidents) was a replacement of the gear lining which was not surprising given the series of teenagers learning to drive a stick shift.
It went well over 100,000 miles which was very good for a cheap car in those days. Eventually my Dad sold it for $100 to a college student in need of a cheap car.
Yeah, my brother had a set of those and nearly rolled when one failed. A replacement under warranty was offered but he turned it down and bought a new set of another brand instead. Neither of us has bought a Firestone tire since.