NASCAR Releases Earnhardt Report

Confirms that torn seat contributed to death; recommends few mandatory changes

Atlanta, August 21, 2001 -- After a six-month, $1 million investigation into the death of driver Dale Earnhardt, NASCAR announced its findings in a 324-page report. The report concluded that a broken seat belt was "a factor" in the tragedy but did not make any dramatic recommendations for change, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

At the press conference announcing the report, medical experts explained that Earnhardt endured a series of events that all contributed to his death, including the torn seat belt, a sideways jostle to the head when his car was bumped and hit a wall, and his seat rebounding with force after the collision.

The Earnhardt report confirmed that the star racer "died of a basal skull fracture, an injury that killed three other drivers last year and is common in car accidents." Despite the knowledge that Earnhardt's death may have been caused by a faulty seat belt or the lack of a head restraint, investigators remained cautious about recommending revisions to safety guidelines. Medical experts note that "changes that would help a driver in one kind of crash could end up making other kinds of crashes worse," according to USA Today.

The report discusses some safety measures, such as the installation of black boxes in race cars. It "encourages," but does not mandate the use of head-and-neck restraints, and recommends employing computers to aid in car design. NASCAR has not made any recommendations for changes to the cars themselves or to barriers. The driver's son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., suggested that "it would be good if they could establish standards for the manufacturers and seat-belt companies" but declared that NASCAR had conducted its investigation "in a real professional manner," according to the Associated Press.

Sources:
Dave Caldwell, New York Times, "Several Factors Killed Earnhardt, Report Says," 8/21
USA Today, 8/22
Orlando Sentinel, 8/22
Associated Press, "Earnhardt Jr. Content With Findings," 8/23

                                                                                                                                        Amy Armond

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