SolveYourProblem Article Series: NASCAR
Everything You Need To Know About NASCAR

NASCAR's High Safety Standards

In 2001 the racing car lost a legend and great racer. Dale Earnhardt died in a crash that occurred at the Daytona 500 in Florida. Anyone who was watching that terrible day will never be able to forget the stunned moment when the crowd was told that Dale Earnhardt had died. Many drivers have been injured in crashes at many of the NASCAR raceways. Jeremy Mayfield, Terry Labonte, and others have missed races and been badly hurt in racetrack crashes.

NASCAR has been working on safety standards for their cars since the first green flag was dropped and racing began. Although they are making strides in safety, some precautions are not compulsory and are left up to the discretion of the owner and driver. Improvements have been made to the seats the drivers use. They now wrap around the rib cage and give more support during a crash. It effectively spreads the impact over the entire rib cage instead of letting it concentrate in a small area. Some new seats wrap around the driver’s shoulders as well.

Seat belts are an important part of the safety equipment in NASCAR racing cars. They are stronger than a regular seat belt and are harness style. Two straps come down over the driver’s shoulders, two wrap around the waist, and either one or two come up between the driver’s legs. Since the death of Dale Earnhardt, Adam Petty, Tony Roper, and Kenny Irwin, NASCAR has made it compulsory for all drivers to have the HANS head and neck restraint in their car. This device is made from Kevlar and carbon fiber and has tethers on the collar to help reduce the tendency of the head to snap forward during an accident.

Roof flaps for cars were designed to keep cars from going airborne and flipping over and over down the track. The designers developed flaps that flip up and disrupt the airflow over the roof when a car is turned around. It isn’t guaranteed the car will stay on the ground but usually keeps them where they belong!

Some safety precautions have been around for several years but have not been adopted by NASCAR. Some tracks installed softer walls to cushion a car that slams into it and helps absorb the impact. Concrete walls are gradually being replaced on the big circuit although they have been used extensively in small local raceways. There are four types of barrier walls that are being used. A cellofoam barrier that is made of plastic foam encased in polyethylene is just one of the innovations for safer walls.

Pit safety has also been examined and steps have been taken to protect the pit crews in pit lanes. Seeing one crewmember being flipped over and injured after being hit by another racecar made many owners demand their crews wear helmets for protection. Crewmembers are required to wear fireproof suits, gloves and other protective gear. Safety glasses are required for tire changers and an extra fire apron for pit members who responsible for fueling the cars. Speeds are watched and speed limits strictly enforced on pit row.

NASCAR continues to look at safety concerns and put new rules into effect each season to keep drivers and pit crewmembers safe. Hopefully we will not lose another driver because of gear that doesn’t give enough protection. NASCAR continues to recommend safety precautions such as kill switches on the steering wheel and devices to prevent stuck throttles. Drivers also have wheels that are designed to pop off if a driver is involved in a crash. Many experts recommend that NASCAR sets up a new separate and dedicated safety department to improve over-all safety for the drivers.

# # # # #

SolveYourProblem.com : 2008

> Home > Nascar: Main Page