The solution to the problem lies with the carriers but not one of them will stop it.
For many years, carriers have allowed pax to get away with excessive amounts of cabin luggage as they have believed those pax who say, "If you don't let me bring this on I'll never fly with you again and tell all my friends. So Yah-Boo." or words to that effect!
No one is prepared to lose some pax to gain safety and the appreciation of other pax. We know this because carriers have ensured that all new commercial a/c have copious overhead bins with strong latches. They also factor all of the weight into the loadsheet.
The problem was compounded by the introduction of Hub-and-Spoke operations. Pax found, particularly in the USA, that connection times were so tight, that their bags often did not make it. So they started bringing them onboard. At that point, carriers had the chance to stop it and chose not to. So the practise became firmly established.
What might change this? Very little! The statistics show that most on-board pax injuries are to pax in aisle seats, due to junk falling from lockers. This may be during arrival/departure or mid-flight when someone opens the locker and forgets that "Items may have moved during flight". If the insurance and travel industry start highlighting this, then folks might start to think about it.
Actually - No they won't! The benefit of bringing on more stuff, is perceived to be greater than having it fall on your head. We are stuck with this until ALL the carriers FAA/CAA/etc decide to change it and that will never happen. Why do you think the seat belt sign is on so much these days?!
My practice (when I have checked baggage) is simple:[list=1][*]Board early to get my normal bag in place before the elephants arrive. [*]Extract very small handbag size bag for what I need the most often during the flight, especially if long haul.[*]Get into pre-booked window seat.[*]Upon landing, stay in seat reading a book until all around have departed.[*]Retrieve bag without injury.[*]Stroll to luggage belt and find that checked bag has probably not arrived or is just there at the right time.[/list=1]
Oh yes and be nice to the CC for they do a job that none of us want to do!
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"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.