Nascar press conference - rant off

[JanDebL at aol.com]

Responding to some of the discussions;
I have worked as a Safety Engineer for 15 years and I see the same trend.  
The technology is available to prevent accidents / reduce injuries but until 
there is an overt incident, nothing is done.  It doesn't matter if the 
problem is auto related, children falling through bleachers or bombs 
detonating at airports, until the "power to be" decide that "something must 
be done" - usually nothing is done.

Regarding the guardrails I predict there will eventually there will be 
collapsible, but self rebounding structures that will reduce the impact but 
not delay the restart.  I'm surprised the F1 guys don't have a larger concern 
for the unforgiving walls at Indy.

The same goes for the deformation structures in the chassis.

Regarding the head / neck support - long before HANS - I remember several 
stock car drivers with and eyebolt sticking out of their helmet attached to 
an inertial reel to control head movement.  I don't follow the sport close 
enough to know what happened to that device.  Whether it might have helped 
last weekend, we will never know.  What bothers me is that we didn't even try.

If the mentality remains that injuries / fatalities are an accepted part of 
any activity, then certainly nothing will change.

Thankfully the people Germany feel much differently and that why we all love 
our Audis.

Rant off, Jan Lahtonen
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