Having flown hundreds of times, mainly on BA, I sometimes find myself asking the question "do I really know this stuff ?"
I have worked in air safety and understand the risks as well as most, but I think the airlines have a tough job making passengers understand.
On the one hand, most of the passengers can't even find their seat when they get on board, so asking them to get out when its dark is hoping for a bit much.
On the other, there is the idea that if the plane crashes we're all dead anyway.
Short of giving people a real life demonsration then I don't see it ever changing.
As an aside, airlines don't help themselves with stories being published of missed maintenance, cost cutting etc. Airlines aren't interested in putting in smoke hoods (even for the pilots) and whilst I appreciate your have to draw the line somewhere, real safety of the passengeres has always been the subject of highly dubious cost/benefit analysis.
BTW, the next time you make your cabin announcements, perhaps you could also point out to the passengeres that they should make their to nearest "big" exit as in a real emergency, most passengers using the "small" exits (over wing etc) get fried.