Race Car Drivers

Racing at high speeds can be exhilarating and fun, but it can also be dangerous and demanding. Drivers are exposed to powerful G-forces and excessive heat in their vehicles, and are at risk of dehydration (due to the intense heat) and injury from crashes. “Traveling at excessively high speeds in open-wheel and open-cockpit vehicles in very close proximity to each other puts the drivers at major risk of track incidences and crashes,” according to “Formula One: A ‘Crash’ Course in Motorsports Medicine,” an article in Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open. “These high speeds convey incredibly high forces onto the driver, often resulting in serious consequences.” Many drivers have been injured in crashes, and some have even died. Safety measures were lax in the old days of racing. But today’s vehicles are equipped with roll cages and other safety features. And drivers wear high-tech fire suits, helmets, and harnesses to keep them safe.