This is why I'm such a stickler for safety on our trucks..
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090117/ap_on_re_us/monster_truck_death.

Alan

I think a lot of people over look the safety aspect of motorsports in general and think it is just a pain. I have been to a lot of places where they don't even look to see if a truck has the proper safety equipment. I know that there are freak accidents sometimes but there are also ways to prevent these things with safety equipment. Everyone please be mindful of your safety equipment and make sure it is secured correctly and don't skimp on it. If you don't know if it will hold then have someone else do it for you.

YOU know everyone got upset that they didn't stop the show when those people got hurt. But did they even know that someone got hurt out on the truck arena.

The Brake rotor on the front drive line exploded while doing a donut sending pieces flying everywhere, Even the spectators them self said they had to flag down the EMT that where one level lower in the arena to let them know someone got hurt. So your talking possible 50 rows up. Yes it's sad that a 6 year old died, but I think it said he died at the hospital or in route to the hospital.


I can see big Negative things coming from this as soon as the lawyers get there hands into it.

I always believe in good safety measures. I have every safety piece on my truck. But the funny thing is I see more Stock truck off the street blow up on the line or going down the track then I ever see in a Competition class at a Pull.

If Insurance get to be to much there just might not be anymore Pulls or Monster truck events a few years down the road.



Dan

Insurance is already going up, this will just be another reason to drive it higher. Our associations insurance is looking at tripling this year and we've never had a claim. Other associations I've talked to are finding the same thing and are actively quoting to try to get the pricing back down. If we can't get it back some sort of reasonable, then we may be in trouble because most venues don't want to pay any higher fees now to put on a show.

We talked about about safety requirements in this thread http://www.network54.com/Forum/228279/thread/1212080092/Street+Stock+Rules
and some didn't like my insistance for installing shields and such, but the monster truck incident kind've drives home the point. Yes monster trucks are highley modified vs stock or altered stock, BUT I would venture to say that pullers put as much strain on drivetrain components as the Mt's do.

Alan

Dan you are exactly right, the stock classes break more often than the modified classes, and they say they don't need the shields and safety equipment. I saw a flywheel scatter in a "stock" truck a few years back and pieces went through the floor, just missing the drivers foot, and through the metal dash of the truck. Everyone around was lucky the pieces went up, so was the driver to still have a foot. The worst part was that right after that someone was complaining about the fair talking about putting scattershields and blankets on everything.

The other dangerous part is when they let people stand by the track and at the end of the track. Don't know if anyone has seen a truck let loose at the end of a pull but the kill switch doesn't stop the truck from rolling instantly, nor can the driver react that fast.

OK done ranting.

First I am not sure why the tv and everyone says it happened while the truck was doing a donut. If you watch the video the truck never done a donut. The sparks came from the rear of the truck and they have pics of a drive shaft loop that was found in the stands. they haven't said if that is what hit them or not yet.

I have been around monster trucks and pulling my entire life. With the monster trucks they are checked way more and way more often than pulling trucks. It was a fluke that this happened. With the way the truck hit some of the cars could have caused it. It is a motor sport and anything can happen at any time. We are all lucky that more doesn't happen.

First I am not sure why the tv and everyone says it happened while the truck was doing a donut. If you watch the video the truck never done a donut. The sparks came from the rear of the truck and they have pics of a drive shaft loop that was found in the stands. they haven't said if that is what hit them or not yet.

I have been around monster trucks and pulling my entire life. With the monster trucks they are checked way more and way more often than pulling trucks. It was a fluke that this happened. With the way the truck hit some of the cars could have caused it. It is a motor sport and anything can happen at any time. We are all lucky that more doesn't happen.

Looks to me like the sparks came from the rear of the drop box. I have no idea how often they're inspected, but, when they are on the road humpin it show to show, I have my doubts as to how closely they get gone over with a fine tooth come. Similarly with truck and tractor pullers.

Safety is first and foremost.

Alan

You will be surprised how much they work on those trucks and rebuild them. most teams will strip to a bare chassis and rebuild them when they get a few weeks off. That team just built a complete new truck and redone that truck. That was the first show with that driver in that truck. There is no blame on the truck or the driver. It was a crazy fluke accident. I have been to lots of pulls and never been checked on safety equipment but never to a monster truck show that they didn't go over the truck with a checklist making sure the truck had all the safety stuff it is supposed to.