Individuals react differently to different kinds of risks. Where there is a relatively low probability of a potentially severe loss, they often act as if they are immune to disaster. For instance, when it comes to protective activities, such as wearing a seat belt, people often reason as follows: “Why buckle up if an automobile accident won’t happen to me?” Other risks, such as nuclear power plant mishaps, provoke the opposite reaction. Emotional responses such as fear and dread may lead to intense preoccupation with the possibility of a catastrophic disaster, even when experts claim that the facility is extremely safe. In contrast to the earlier case of protective action, the public often cries for ‘zero risk’ when it comes to regulating technology, without appreciating that it is practically impossible to achieve such a goal. The response of the public towards a risk once the accident has actually happened is often unpredictable. Depending on the way the information about an accident is presented to the public, dramatic and over reactive responses may occur. The response towards an accident can Affect the general public’s attitude towards

( از انتشارات UNEP : برنامه محيط زيست ملل متحد )