I finally got a chance to read through the “Driver’s Guide to Safe Motor Sports”, which I’d downloaded a few weeks back and had time to peruse while watching the Rolex 24.
Published by the Federation Internationale de L’Automibile and featuring a great photo of an F1 car stuffed into a SAFER barrier, it turned out to have some great common sense info that applies equally well to Class 11.
Here are some of the choice bits:
“Decorative studs through lips and tongues…could interfere with some medical procedures, while studs in the eyebrows could snag on helmets.”
(This reminds me of a story several years back at Burning Man where a heavily pierced guy wearing only hiking boots bent over to tie his boot, hooked something as he stood up (and what happened next is so horrifying I can’t finish the story).
“Equally importantly, under no circumstances compete while chewing gum – a potential killer if it gets stuck in the windpipe in an accident. It makes sense to remove false teeth, too.”
“Underwear: Don’t skimp on this just because it’s out of sight. It is next to your skin so in a fire it is your last line of defense.” (Nomex tighty whities are in my future).
“Helmets: Colour selection is also important as darker colours absorb more heat, which can increase body temperature and affect performance.” (Great, I have a black helmet because it looked cool).
“Seat belts: Always keep your belts tight.” (I learned that lesson when I fractured a couple of ribs because my shoulder belts were just a tiny bit loose when we rolled the car).
“If an accident happens: If the car is on its roof, support yourself before releasing the seat belts to avoid landing on your head” (or, in my case, landing on your driver).
The guide is a great (and quick) read, particularly for new racers. You can download it here.