The short version of the question is - if I am never going to ride off-road will I ever have a safety problem with cheaper handlebars?

More detail - I have been riding for many years. I have several bikes and recently have been trying all sorts of handlebars on them - trying to find various ideals. I am thinking about buying one more type but notice a large range in price for what is essentially the same design. I am leaving out any mention of the style of bar as I think that sidetracks the issue. So, other than flex (which I don't mind) and finish - can cheap bars actually fail or cause other problems during commuting type rides?