I doubt installing something that would prevent the windows opening from the bottom would cost much. IMO, if it saves one life, it’s worth it.
Since the conversation has moved from windows to lofted beds, in 16 years out of a crib at home, how often has your child accidentally rolled out of his/her standard-height bed at night? As humans, we often feel that the higher up we are, there is some extra gravity pulling us down, but that’s just fear at work. A human being who has successfully slept in a bed for 16+ years is unlikely to start falling out (even if it is on the edge of the grand canyon, with no fence!)
I think alcohol is often involved at the falling out of bed incidents. I have seen pretty big variations in the numbers, but hundreds of people die every year from falling out of bed and even more end up (almost 2 million) in the emergency room, but don’t die. Mostly the very young and the very old.
They were required well before 1991. According to the article below, it was mandated by law as early as 1976:
http://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/25/nyregion/new-york-gets-tough-on-window-guard-law.html
^Apparently a 1984 ruling exempted condos.
^ ^
And likely due to cases like your cite of Eric Clapton, they eliminated that exemption as it no longer exists.
If there are children living in the condo unit, the unit owner like other landlords are mandated by law to install them in all windows except those leading to a fire escape.
Some people do fall out of bed.
Throughout his childhood and adolescence, my son was one of them – whenever we went on vacation and he slept in hotel beds. His problem was that his bed at home was up against the wall, and apparently he was accustomed to leaning on the wall when he was asleep. When he had to sleep in a bed that was not up against a wall, he would fall out of it multiple times every night.
When he went to college, his bed in his first dorm room was not against a wall. I never asked him whether he fell out of it, but I was very glad to see that it wasn’t lofted or bunked.
My kids fell out of beds when they lived at home–they’d just roll off. When they moved into apartments & condos, they got double beds so they are less likely to roll off. They both move A LOT when they sleep. Neither kid had any alcohol when they fell out of beds at home. For awhile, we placed a futon on the floor near the bed so they’d have softer landings when falling off the bed. We moved it when they finally stopped falling off the beds.
My husband and sons have rolled out of bed on occasion – alcohol had nothing to do with it. Some people are less spatially aware while they sleep than others. That is why it is now considered unsafe to sleep with an infant – some people roll on them and suffocate them.