Carbon is a lot more fragile than steel. Imagine if you will the difference between crashing a steel bike and a carbon bike. steel does two things that carbon doesn't.
#1 steel bends. Carbon splinters! You might be able to have the shop
bend your steel frame back; or reweld it; but the carbon? you can't even recycle it!

#2 steel absorbs vibration; it has mass. This makes a big difference.
I actually have a steel fork and I was very surprised to find that it was a smoother ride than my old steel bike which had a carbon fork.

did you see the recent thread started by Flyby about her carbon handlebars?