12-09-2010, 11:38 AM
Automobiles are safer now than in any other time in history. Built in roll cages, crash boxes and crumple zones as well as airbags and all manner of safety restraint systems are in place to keep occupants safe from harm. In the early days speed ruled the roost and driver safety was more of an afterthought than anything else. Racers would run flat-out at speeds upwards of 100 mph in some of the most archaic machines ever made, all in the quest for victory. There were no seat belts, fire retardant suits or helmets for drivers to wear and because of this being a race car driver was one of the most lethal sporting events one could partake in. The above video shows us just how the pioneers of motor sports won, lost and sometimes even died. Be warned, some of the images are graphic, but once you see them I think you’ll be amazed at how far we’ve come in terms of the technological advancements that have been made to the automobile over the last 100 years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aUw9cZcJU0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aUw9cZcJU0