Risk compensation

Risk compensation is a behavioral response in which people take greater risks when they feel more protected, partly offsetting safety measures.

Risk homeostasis: A theory that people adjust behavior to maintain a preferred level of risk. It proposes that risk compensation can keep perceived risk near a personal target.
Seat belt: A restraint that secures vehicle occupants to reduce injury during a collision. Claims that seat belts encourage riskier driving make this a prominent test case.
Peltzman effect: The hypothesis that safety regulation can induce behavior that offsets some of its benefits. It is a prominent regulatory application of risk-compensation reasoning.
Empirical evidence: Observations or measurements used to assess whether a claim matches real-world outcomes. Studies test whether protective measures actually produce compensating behavior.
Perceived risk: A person's subjective estimate of the likelihood and severity of harm. Protection can lower perceived risk even when objective danger remains.
Bicycle helmet: Protective headgear designed to reduce head injury in bicycle crashes. Helmet use has been studied for possible changes in cyclists' risk-taking.
Moral hazard: A change in behavior caused when protection from consequences weakens incentives to avoid risk. It overlaps with risk compensation but emphasizes incentives and responsibility.
Causal inference: Methods for estimating whether an intervention or exposure causes an outcome. Separating compensation from other behavioral changes is a central challenge.
Risk-taking: Behavior that exposes a person to a possibility of harm or loss. Risk compensation is one reason risk-taking may increase after a safety measure.
Anti-lock braking system: A vehicle braking system that prevents wheel lockup during hard braking. Its safety benefits prompted studies of whether drivers respond by driving faster.

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