How are we still tornado dumb? And stress is catchy?

I'm sitting here watching news coverage of all of the violent storms working their way across the lower Midwest. It's tragic and so sad to see people lose their homes and families because of a natural disaster.

But.

It's 2014, we have lots of warning systems in place and we all know what to do in the event of a tornado. We know to go to our basement or to the center most point of your home, in a bath tub, etc. We know that if we are outside to go lay down in a ditch and cover your head to protect from flying debris. I can understand if you live in an area that does not normally have tornadoes and all of a sudden you're dealing with one. Panic would set in and it would be terrifying.

Except these people deal with several tornadoes every single year.

Yet.

They will still get in their car and try to out drive it, then they end up dead in their cars on the side of the road. People stand there saying they just can't believe it. Um, really? They got in a vehicle which would be the equivalent to a tin can in a wind storm, and we wonder why they died?

Then I am watching online interviews and some woman is wailing, asking why God is punishing them.

*sigh*

God isn't punishing you, tornadoes are a natural weather phenomenon that have gone on for all of time and will continue to do so long after you're gone. This right here is why we need to increase science education in schools because people still believe God is in charge of weather.
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Also on the news was a study being conducted on the effects of stress and if we can pass our stress onto others.

Why is money wasted on stuff like this?

Of course stress is passed onto people. If you have a man losing his shit on the bus and you're seeing it, you will begin to feel anxious and have elevated heart rate. Think of every stressful situation you've witnessed- you will feel stressed out or at the bare minimum a level of anxiety and/or concern.

Yet, we waste money on this.