Q11 - Complying with new safety regulations

[roflcoptersoisoi]

Point at issue:
P: Complying with new safety regulations is useless
Reasoning: Would not have prevented last year's fire because they do not address the underlying causes.
C: Complying with some regulations is not useless.
Reasoning: If obeyed they can prevent some accidents and thus save money.

(A) We don't know how costly the laboratory fire was last year, none of them mention it.
(B) Again, we do not know this to be true, this was not mentioned. We know last year's fire resulted in injuries because P said so, however we do not know if this is the case every time there is an accident
(C) This is unique to P's argument. C says that the regulations can prevent some accidents, but doesn't talk about underlying causes or last year's fire.
(D) Bingo. This is the right answer. P doesn't think so because they don't address underlying causes, C thinks it is useful for some regulations because it can prevent some accidents and save money.
(E) Neither of them mentioned this. C says that "IF" they are obeyed they can be useful, however we are given no info as to how often they are or if they even are likely to be obeyed.

[maryadkins]

Great explanation, thanks!