Both driving and racing cars are dangerous activities. Fortunately, they're a lot safer than they've ever been, especially the latter, and things are only getting better.
But as is tragically the case across the board, virtually all automotive safety innovations are written in blood.
Here are 10 automotive road and racing safety improvements that come with plenty of baggage. Buckle up.
1
HANS Device: Dale Earnhardt Senior
The Head and Neck Safety device is a neck brace that keeps the head from jolting around during a crash. Already offered to drivers at the time of Dale Sr.'s crash, it became standard equipment soon after.
2
Seatbelts
Although originally patented by George Cayley in 1885 to keep him from falling out of his glider, a concerted effort to make cars safer began in the 1950s. By the 1960s, every car came with seatbelts installed.
3
Halo: Jules Bianchi
In 2014, the 25-year-old rising F1 star lost control during a rainy race in Japan and crashed into a recovery vehicle. The incident pushed Formula 1 to finally introduce head protection, which came in the form of the Halo.
4
Aeroscreen: Justin Wilson
One year after Bianchi’s crash, Indycar’s Justin Wilson was struck and killed by debris from a nearby accident. In 2020, Indycar launched their own head protection, the more comprehensive aeroscreen.
5
Anti-Lock Breaks
ABS systems existed all the way back in the 1920s to help planes slow down on runways. However, it took until the 1950s for motorcycles to adopt them, and another 20 years for cars and trucks to do the same.
6
Niki Lauda: Fire Suppression Systems
Niki Lauda’s terrifying crash and subsequent comeback sparked inspiration for the movie Rush, but it also inspired F1 officials to take a close look at fire safety from suits, to helmets, to car design.
7
Crumple Zones
First introduced by Mercedes engineer Béla Barényi in 1937, crumple zones are crucial for dissipating force during an impact. They are heavily implemented in modern cars.
8
Airbags
John W. Hetrick patented the airbag in 1952, but the technology as we use it today didn’t become widespread until the late ‘80s.
9
Survival Cell
In the 1980s, Formula 1 teams began using carbon fibre to create virtually impenetrable survival cells, or monocoques, for the driver to sit in. The design improved upon an idea by iconic Lotus boss Colin Chapman.
10
Roll Cage
As average speeds quickly grew in the ‘70s, racing safety improvements became desperately needed. The roll bar, created by John Aley, and the subsequent roll cage, drastically improved roll-over survival and general structural integrity.
