I’m generally not one for watching crash compilations. They just seem a little too morbid for my tastes. This video is a special case, it really shows how far we’ve come in regards to vehicle and course safety. A word of warning for the squeamish, some of these crashes look like they might have been fatal.
In the pre 1960s era of racing, the common belief was that it was safer to be thrown from the car during a crash. In the early days of motor racing the majority of races were held on public streets and country roads. Run off areas, energy absorbing crash barriers and safety crews wouldn’t come into being for decades. Driver’s put there lives on the line, protected by only a few hay bales and the hope that they would be thrown clear of a tumbling gasoline filled race car.
We’ve come a long way since the deadly golden age of motor racing. Today’s cars and tracks are designed with driver safety in mind. As a result, there have only been a handful of fatalities n professional motorsport in the last few decades. Even with the dramatically increased speeds of modern racing drivers walk away from unbelievable crashes with only bumps and bruises.
Mark Webber’s huge airborne crash at Valencia in 2010 is an excellent showpiece for how safe motorsports has become.