[1121]

A year ago, today, I had an accident with the Auto Value Super Sprints up at Kalamazoo Speedway. I received some pretty severe injuries and my recovery continues. During this time, I’ve had time to think and even though I hope none of my fellow competitors ever get hurt, I thought I’d pass on some suggestions I’ve learned though this.

1. Have good personal safety equipment. This is your helmet, uniform and such. This is true whether you are driving an Indy car or a street stock. I am always amazed at what some guys have for a uniform. An oil soaked uniform is nothing more than a wick if there’s a fire. And I wish they would ban two piece uniforms at all levels.

You also need to wear Nomex underwear. This should be mandatory at all levels. And no short sleeve tops. Your arms can burn the same as the rest of you.

I received a pretty hard hit to my head during my accident, yet I had no head or neck injuries. I give full credit to my Bell helmet for that. A good quality helmet is a must at all levels. A motorcycle helmet is not good enough! And helmets age. Keep up to date on your SNELL ratings.

One of the things I really like about the Auto Value Super Sprints is that they check our safety equipment before we take the track for the first time. I wish other series and especially the weekly tracks would do this.

2. Make sure you have good health insurance. My medical bills topped $200,000. Most tracks only have about $15,000 on the drivers. Luckily, Kalamazoo Speedway had more than that and my personal insurance took care of most of it. Just because you have medical insurance through where you work, don’t assume it will cover you. More and more corporate policies don’t cover their employees when they participate in so called “dangerous activities.” It usually specifically states sky diving and auto racing. Don’t be afraid to ask your employer. It’s better to find out up front rather than later. If you are not covered, purchase a policy through STIDA or something similar. You may also get a disability policy that will pay you some money while your off work. That way your bills continue to get paid. If you can’t afford insurance, you can’t afford to race. You can get hurt in a street stock as easy as a sprint car.

3. Some might disagree with this, but I’m a big believer in containment seat. And believe it or not you can wear a seat out. A couple of hits can stretch the seat out around the ribs and head rest. Also, having a lot of holes in it from mounting it in different cars makes it weaker. A seat not only needs to be strong, but fit well and be comfortable for the driver.

4. Almost every series mandates that your seat belts can only be 2-3 years old. This is especially important in dirt cars. The mud caking on, then drying, then getting washed off really shortens the life of the belts. Making sure they are mounted correctly is important also.

5. This last one is a rule I violate often. I go to the races a lot by myself. I’ve always managed to pick up help to get me through the night. I’ve always thought using the excuse that you don’t have help, so you can’t go to the races was lame. A close friend of mine once told me that I should always have someone that cares for me with me at the races. That way they can make decisions if I am not able to. Also, help get the car loaded and the truck home if I’m not able to.

The night I got hurt, I was by myself, but luckily, there were friends with other cars that made sure the car got loaded and the truck was safe. They also made calls to my family to tell them of my situation. I hate to think what would of happened to the car, truck and trailer if my friends would of not been there.

The gist of all this is racing is dangerous at all levels. All my safety equipment did their job, yet I still got hurt. While it may not be as glamorous, you need to make safety a lot higher priority than a bigger motor or a fancy trailer, no matter what you drive. I pray none of you have to find out.

Tom Paterson

[Pitdad]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I especially like your statement, "If you can't afford insurance, you can't afford to race." Everyone that straps into a race car, or lets someone they love strap in, needs to read and think about your words.

[davidm]

Tom thank you for sharing this! Hopefully another driver friend or family member read this and uses what you've shared to better their safety or insurance.

[Grocery Guy]

An amazing testimony every racer should read. Your comments about health care insurance and what it covers should cause every driver to take notice. Also, who would think about loading up and getting home. You just never know. Thank you for your insight.

[Spi-nex]

Insurance through my employer? What's that?

Personal safety should be a personal choice. At all levels.