The problem "safe" languages have in this context is that they really truly are no better than C, for the simple sake of them throwing out performance and resource considerations from the get-go. Additionally, if you take even just a day to read up on UNIX and C history, you'd quickly find the two are essentially intertwined, and that to usurp C, you'd have to nix UNIX, too.

I've yet to see anyone with serious industry experience come out and say sane things about replacing C. It's just not going to happen. Not in my lifetime, unless someone decides to write a new operating system, and Linux subsequently loses footing.