XRayF1 wrote:
Don't thing this kind of accident is avoidable, as the HALO device would have to sustain an impact of a 800kg+ (fuel & driver!) car with some significant velocity, while still being removable in case of.
As far as I know, the reason for having an open cockpit was visibility as well as
easy access to the driver in case of an accident. Especially, if back injuries are likely (I recall that in such cases the whole seat is removable - wasn't this some lessons learned from the Häkkinen crash in Australia?).
What has changed to such aspects and warrant this device?
I always here people say this. But really now, the circumstances where the driver would need assistance to extract himself from the cockpit would include these and probably a few more:
a) Driver is already knocked unconscious inside the car and cannot open the canopy himself so he will somehow suffocate and die?
b) The car is capsized and driver is knocked unconscious and he will somehow die in five minutes?
c) The car is capsized AND on fire so there is no time for marshals to tun the car over to open the cockpit so he will burn to death?
d) The car is on fire and the canopy cannot open so the driver will surely burn in a fiery grave?
In all the cases above there has to be some catastrophic event. However these can be prevented by other safety measures.
These are the counter points to the ones above
a) The driver is unconscious. Big deal. A Marshal can open the canopy from outside.
b) Capsized car. Flip it over and open the canopy from outside. The driver is fine he can wait ten minutes.
c) Capsized car on fire. Why is the car on fire? Some other safety measure has failed? If the driver is fine he can help himself escape before the fire gets to him. You can fireproof the cock-pit. If the driver is unconscious he is probably safer inside the cockpit protected from the heat of the blaze. But anyway... historically when was the last capsized car on fire?
d) The car is on fire and the canopy cannot open... Ahm.. this one is tough. but again put in fire fighting/fire proofing measures to protect the cock-pit.