I work at a GM plant, and we start all meetings with the saying, "All accidents are preventable" GM is trying to create an atmosphere where accidents are not tolerated. It is a mindset that states that everyone that comes to work deserves to go home from work in the same condition that they started. When there is an accident, the plant will spend a lot of time doing a safety incident analysis and a "5 why" analysis.

I really do not understand why racers and race tracks do not have the same attitude. Way too many people are stuck in the status quo. How many tracks perform a safety walk? How many tracks have a safety action plan? How many drivers demand changes at the tracks where they run? How many drivers require the sanctioning body make changes at tracks before they race? What new safety features are the chassis manufacturers bringing to market?

The attitude of "things are good enough" needs to stop. I agree with the original poster that we need to look at new technology. I would also say that we need to have some intelligence when it comes to safety.

Does it really take a fatality for us to know that a telephone pole makes a horrible catch fence? Does it take a near fatality for us to know that a wall without a catch fence is incredibly dangerous? Does it take spectators being hit in the pits to know that a 18" steel guard rail is not enough protection to keep a car out of the pits? All three of these things happened in the KC area this year, and as of now none of the tracks have done anything to correct the problems.

Safety is an attitude.