As with global warming, perpetuating Michael Crichton’s proverbial “state of fear” is crucial to advancing the public-safety lobby’s auto-regulatory state. Over the last 15 years, we’ve been told that:

– Ditching the federal 55-MPH speed limit would cause carnage.

– Increased sales of unstable, rollover-prone SUVs would cause carnage.

– Cell phone use in vehicles would cause carnage.

– And now that automakers’ conversion to electronic controls (like Toyota gas pedals) have caused carnage.

And as with global warming, facts keep getting in the way. The Department of Transportation Thursday announced that the highway traffic-fatality rate dropped to 1.16 fatalities per 100 million vehicle-miles traveled — the lowest level on record.

Fifteen years ago, safety activists resorted to their usual tactics as President Clinton prepared to sign a bill overturning Washington’s hated, discredited 55 MPH mandate. “Please listen, members of Congress. Please listen, President Clinton,” said stock victim Theresa Rankin (“choking back tears while describing her 18-year battle to recover from a severe head injury suffered in a California crash,” as AP put it).

“History will never forgive (Clinton) and his allies in Congress for this assault on the sanctity of human life,” roared Ralph Nader.

“At the same time that the nation prepares to send troops to Bosnia to keep peace, and worries about their safety, the Congress and the President are eliminating federal highway safety requirements that are equivalent to a death sentence to thousands of Americans back home,” said Joan Claybrook, president of the Naderite advocacy group Public Citizen.

They were wrong.

Yet here they are again in the Toyota controversy. At the front of reporter rolodexes as “safety experts.” And at the front of Congressional hearings telling us we will die unless Washington intervenes.