Not sure if it was safer other than not using gasoline.
Of course it was safer. Why else do you expect it was "disappeared" by the Seven Sister's secret squirrel brigade?
Amazing and amusing the number of folk who actually believe such notions, especially amusing as about 95% of
industrial/commercial hydrogen is produced from fossil fuel hydrocarbon sources, natural gas and petroleum.
In other words by the petro-chemical industry, who are also the ones that have an already established distribution
network. If hydrogen fuel cell private vehicles become common, chances are you'll be 'filling up' at the same places
you always have.