Well,that depends who you talk to.The 1911 is the second handgun I bought over 25 years ago and has remained my favorite platform.
Those that say they are not for novices have some merrit with the single action trigger,forgetting to take the safety off,yada yada.What I want to know is how did they and anyone else get to profinciency?They were a novice to the platform,of course,but there are rules to using guns called the safety rules that were drummed in your head.To me it's a great platform to learn handgunning or centerfire,the trigger is nice,it has a safety(s),and the platform just feels perfect (almost) if you take to it.
This usually starts something that gets the 1911 vs alot of popular tupperware or vice versa,but bear with my logic to answer your question.
You have a 1911 and a Glock,XD,M&P,or any 'safe action' pistol.
Your A #1 safety is the trigger finger,period.It is not going to go off unless a freak of luck part breaks, it's been played with and is unsafe, or something else pushes the trigger when it's ready to fire.That was the important part there.So how does it go bang?
1911 - Grip it depressing the grip safety,thumb down that safety and pull the trigger -physically overiding 2 safeties before your finger needs to even touch the trigger to pull it.
Glock and clones - Grip it (less XD) and you have to put your finger on the trigger to overide the safety,so basically it's like it's really not there.
The XD is the same gig but has a grip safety like the 1911.This is cool because the trigger wont work if something hits it unless the grip safety is pushed off.Can't boot one down the leg reholstering at all.This is also the reason I don't freak if the 1911 thumb safety pops off somehow.
As I figure the 1911 is quite safe,and anyone can shoot it if they like it.A gun is completely safe,it's the one holding it that matters.Once the mind and finger are trained,practice with it to know it and nobody will get hurt unnecessarily.Every gun has a manual of arms to know,slide safeties drive me crazy so I don't use them.
I do own plastic too,the 1911 may have been pefected in my HK,don't know yet.