My hunch is several folks who read this will think I might have driven off the edge of the sanity cliff with this headline that comes from the blog written before this one. Well, at least not yet my friends...and here is why.
In referring to Mike Fedorcak's crash of 1985, where he was critically burned, one of the factors that contributed negatively to his situation was that his helmet was damaged in the crash. Apparently it hit something behind him...a bar or some other structure. It is not hard to imagine a blow severe enough to structurally damage a helmet is hard enough to knock you unconscious, and it did. Being unconscious make it really tough to do anything...sometimes even to breathe...and even tougher to escape a flaming racecar. Current full-containment seats not only restrict head and neck movement, it helps keep other things that could be harmful away from your head and neck from the back and sides...good seat=no bars to hit.
In my years of researching racing accidents, I have found the "Law of unintended consequences" is commonly in play. Nikki Lauda had no idea a poorly designed and fitted helmet could indirectly cause him severe burns in his 1976 Formula 1 crash. Current full containment seat technology clearly did not exist in 1985 or Mike might have been using it. THAT TECHNOLOGY EXISTS NOW...PLEASE USE IT.
Go out of your way to meet Mike Fedorcak...he is a racer in every sense of the word...he understands the importance of a high-quality firesuit...and a good helmet...and all the other things racing safety advocates talk about...and will tell you the same thing...USE THEM!
No comments:
Post a Comment