Way back then, brakes sometimes were optional, something I would call a safety measure. Since automobiles where a brand new invention, there were no laws regarding them and the price was keep down by not adding anything to them. Remember the crank start system on them? How many people hurt themselves just trying to start the poor thing. The real safety measures started to appear in the teens and twenty’s and again, we would look at them as standard equipment, not safety, like electric starters, bumpers, descent brakes, windshields, etc.

The most important life saving feature installed on early model vehicles was safety glass…Before 1927, vehicles used plate glass like that used in houses…It shattered when it was hit…Many people bled to death when they were thrown into it at relatively low speeds…Safety glass shatters into little pieces upon impact and presents less danger to anyone who encounters it.
Ref: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question50...
The other life protecting component is the seat belt…It first came out as just a lap belt in the 60s and then evolved into the lap and shoulder harness in today’s vehicles.

there was no regard for safety back then, it was a machine to take you from point A to point B

a lot less speed and the drivers had what is called common sense

There was nothing for safety. The only thing that was “safe” about them was there low top speed. If you where going 25 mph you where tearing up the road! Everything else about them made them a rolling coffin!

That early they had brakes, windshields and oil burning lanterns for lights.