Paul Dana Died

[vyselegend]

Damn! this is sad!
I noticed he did hit the wall backward, because of the spin, and it reminds me of ralphs accidents at indiannapolis (2004 & 2005). It seems that backwards crashes cause more injuries than forward ones. The structure of single seater is probably safer from the front and sides, I think shocks from the rear are harder to absorb because of the rigidity of engine elements, and so it is very bad for the vertebra spine.

[Jason]

Damn! this is sad!
I noticed he did hit the wall backward, because of the spin, and it reminds me of ralphs accidents at indiannapolis (2004 & 2005). It seems that backwards crashes cause more injuries than forward ones. The structure of single seater is probably safer from the front and sides, I think shocks from the rear are harder to absorb because of the rigidity of engine elements, and so it is very bad for the vertebra spine.

.....Anyone have the Dale Earnhardt's accident video?

[DaveKillens]

Sometimes the sheer impact, the G's that the driver experiences are critically traumatic.
Dale's demise was of a totally different order.

[Tom]

DaveKillens said:

Every so often a tragedy like this happens, when a fine young person perishes in a racing accident.

I believe that it happens far too often for big series like CART and IRL and even F1.
Sure we can be comfortable in the knowledge that it is nearly 12 years since an F1 fatality, but it should be 24 at least.

There must be a way to make these things safer, whatever angle the car crashes at and at whatever speed, even if that means reducing the overall speed and therefore spectacle.

[Scuderia_Russ]

.....Anyone have the Dale Earnhardt's accident video?

And what exactly will you gain from viewing that?!

[jgredline]

I believe that it happens far too often for big series like CART and IRL and even F1.
Sure we can be comfortable in the knowledge that it is nearly 12 years since an F1 fatality, but it should be 24 at least.

There must be a way to make these things safer, whatever angle the car crashes at and at whatever speed, even if that means reducing the overall speed and therefore spectacle.

Well since Dale Earnharts death as well as Sennas death, those respected series have expierianced no fatalities. Nascar has introduced many saftey features as has Formula1. CART and the IRL have not really changed anything
They benefit from running on tracks where Nascar races as well, so they have some tracks with safer barrier walls. Even though race car drivers know the risk. When I raced cars and flipped over 2 1/2 times and came out bruised and shaken, I did not give up, but kept on racing, knowing I was fortunate. Racers don't think about death even though its a very real thing. All these drivers that have died all know the risk they take. Do we want to see more deaths, No. You would have to be sick in the head to want to see death. Is this the last death we will see. Lets pray so.
This is all we can really do.

[Tom]

We can do more than pray.

Safer barriers can be built. The cars can have inbuilt warnings for others out of control to avoid such incidents as this.

With the ideas on this site alone we can make the series far safer!

[ketanpaul]

RIP, Dana

With respect to the article on speed tv, I dont think Dana was a inexperienced or a non-thinking driver. Just look at his racing bio, there are tons of rookies like this

This is one of the most moving moments in my life. I have saw this guy in person a year back and I just cant swallow that a man like him had such a terrible end. Motorsports is supposed to be fun, both for the drivers and spectators. People dont pay for tickets to see crashes or deaths like this. It is just terrible. It has been a day since I talked to someone about this. I am simply moved, and I had just seen him !! Imagine what his family is going through, specially his wife. I dont know why things like this should happen in motorsports.

May his soul rest in peace........