Given the above, it is worth pointing out that the compilers are also much much better in verification and useful warnings/errors. Back in the (very old) days, there was a motivation to cut down PCC (Portable C Compiler) and give the birth to Lint as a separate application (because cutting the compilation time was a greater priority). The current trends are completely the opposite: compilers are getting increasingly more powerful built-in static analyzers and sanitizers by default.

I think the lack of powerful tools in 1990s-2000s contributed to the thought by some that C is 'diffcult' in terms of safety. However, things have moved on.