Interesting comments. I have been involved in a driver simulator project for the last few years and as a by-product of this have analyzed a vast amount of data the cause and effect of modifications, tyre wear, driver behavior seat belts alcohol etc.

It all comes down to driver and the vehicles fit for purpose.

Simply changing wheels and tyres can have huge safety benefits.
Lighting the same, shock absorbers and brake pads all contribute.

The sad fact is that vehicle manufactures usually set the car up for the lowest common denominator and cost.

In a country that is the most heavily policed and restricted when it comes to vehicle travel we rate number one for safety but ZERO in the fun factor.

Sped limits set to 110 Kmh for vast distances, try speed cameras that average your travel over hundreds of kilometers, and if you are THREE kilometers per hour over the 110 KMH limit your are posted a fine with demerit points.

Double points losses for public and school holidays, a vast network of cameras both overt and covert, mobile cameras, video cameras in unmarked police motorcycles, all automatically dispatched without the presumption of innocence.

There are no such thing as accidents simply crashes that are cause by a set of simultaneous events leading to a BANG and repair bills.

We are fortunate to drive a capable vehicle that can safely cope with MOST events and usually owned by an enthusiast can be driven effectively.

Modifications for safety, you can ALWAYS improve on the mass manufactured product...

Good tyres avoid crashes.
Seat Belts save Lives.
Alcohol and driving do not mix, 0.05 % BAC here in AU.
Drugs and driving do not mix . We also have random alcohol and drug testing.

Speeding does not cause a crash inattentiveness, boredom or sleep deprivation does.

End of rant.