Seems he was just behind the times when it came to new safety technologies .
2007-02-04 14:09:28 · 25 answers · asked by Parapet 3 in Sports ➔ Auto Racing ➔ NASCAR
Everyone who answered before all brought up very good points. However, they all forgot to mention one thing... the seat belts were improperly mounted (and expired if I remember correctly). I do not believe the helmet was a contributing factor to his death. I saw many worse-looking crashes of drivers in open-faced helmets, and they walked away unscathed (Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace at the two super-speedways come to mind, although Waltrip broke his leg).
Also, consider this... what if Schrader's car had been 6 inches farther forward or six inches farther behind. That would have changed all the geometry of the entire incident. Same thing with Sterling's car... 6 inches either way would have made all the difference. It was just a series of unfortunate circumstances and that's about all one can say.
2007-02-05 00:36:08 · answer #1 · answered by TQTX37A 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The new safety technologies we have now came about because of what happened to Dale Sr.
The safety equipment in the car unfortunately failed, which was the main cause of the death.
And it wasn't completely his fault that he died, NASCAR failed in strictly enforcing safety regulations.
2007-02-06 09:47:53 · answer #2 · answered by samwu09 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It would not have mattered what kind of helmet he had on because he had a fracture at the base of his skull.basically his skull seperated from his spine.
Yes he was way behind the times of new safety features.
2007-02-05 14:49:00 · answer #3 · answered by Ray 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't think it was the helmet, the HANS device wasn't mandatory yet and he didn't like wearing it. so he didn't. slamming into the wall at 200 mph caused a lot more damage than it would. He suffered a basal skull fracture.
more info:http://www.answers.com/topic/dale-earnhardt-controversy-over-the-cause-s-of-his-death
2007-02-05 00:41:32 · answer #4 · answered by junior_fan 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
the hans device.
back when he died there was no rule to wear it.it locks ur head to ur shoulders to keep it from bouncing around.he died of baseular skull fracture.it has nothing to do with the type of helmet he was wearing.has to do with the lack of safety gear he was not wearing.the seatbelts go over the 2 shoulder straps while the helmet is buckled to the hans.
2007-02-04 15:31:35 · answer #5 · answered by 'HUMVEE' 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No. Even if it was a closed face helmet he still would have died. He died from whiplash. That's why they come up with the Head and neck device.
2007-02-05 05:06:23 · answer #6 · answered by ahl_phantoms 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The helmet was not the cause.If he had some sort of head and neck restrant he and Adam Petty would have survived.
2007-02-04 15:26:08 · answer #7 · answered by blakree 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The helmet had nothing to do with him passing away. He was not wearing a HANS device, if he had been wearing a HANS device he might still be here.
2007-02-05 04:07:21 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
if dale had the hans devise they wear now hed be alive
i took his death and the deaths of adam petty and kenny irwin jr for nascar to really look at safety now they got soft walls and other safety improvements
2007-02-05 11:30:16 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
the open faced helmet had noting to do with his demise he wasn't wearing (cant think of the nameof it )but it helps your head from being thrown about during a crash and what happened was the base of his skull was torn off his spine
2007-02-04 14:25:44 · answer #10 · answered by wade 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋