I don't think the US education system is necessarily better in this regard. Most people here don't see anything wrong with this:
and knowledge of what is and isn't safe doesn't seem to be much better among the trades.
Yes. The first day I was in the US, I was shocked by the socket. I mean shocked by the quality, the accessibility to the metals, and the general dodgyness. Like it came from some 50s retro movie. Looks like it was designed by the USB-IF.
While these are valid comments, they really aren't a leading safety problem here.
The bigger electrical related safety problem is fires caused by putting too many loads on the socket/cord/extension cord. No amount of safety features in the socket/plug would change that. The circuit breaker or fuze can't solve the problem, it requires some understanding that there are limits to performance, and buying the cheapest 24 gauge extension cord you can find and then plugging the coffee pot and microwave into it is not a good idea.
The same thing also partially applies to your comments. If you ignore fundamental design flaws in the socket/plug you still can find high quality implementations and low quality implementations. Guess which ones cost more (and are more often used by electricians), and which cost less (and are installed by homeowners and contractors who don't plan to operate an ongoing business)? I am sure that something of the same problem exists with the British and European designs, though your regulatory agencies may be stricter than ours.