- Mon Oct 10, 2011 10:08 am
#2074
Hey Mford,
You ask about an interesting question. LSAC actually released answers to that February 1997 LSAT, so let me paraphrase from their explanation (which can be found in "The LSAT Explained...The Official LSAT PrepTest With Explanations, Volume One," now out of print).
First, LSAC characterizes this question as "difficult," or, on their scale of difficulty, 4 out of 5. So, you are looking at a tough question (and the answer you chose, E, was the most popular wrong answer).
Second, let's look at the paradox. The stimulus states that in optional headlight usage jurisdictions, drivers who use headlights all the time are less likely to be involved in an accident than drivers who use headlights only when the visibility is poor. But, when headlight usage is mandatory there is no reduction in the overall number of collisions.
That's a pretty tough paradox, because when most people look at the stimulus, they don't see a viable explanation for what is occurring. So, let's look at the two answer choices you asked about.
Answer choice (C): As you noted, this is the correct answer. From LSAC's explanation of the answer choice, this answer plays to the type of drivers in each group. In the headlight optional areas, they see it as a careful set of drivers who use those headlights at all times--thus, they are less likely to be involved in an accident. But, when everyone is forced to use headlights, that group expands to include the less careful drivers, and their driving is not made better by using headlights all the time. Thus, according to LSAC, this answer explains both sides of the paradox.
Answer choice (E): LSAC points out that this answer can explain the second part of the paradox, but that it "does not explain why, in jurisdictions where the use of headlights is optional, drivers who use headlights at all times are less likely to be involved in collisions." Thus, they see this failing to address the first sentence of the stimulus.
Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!