http://jalopnik.com/instructor-kille...1588064352/all
I'm sure we all know, but this just serves as a reminder.

It makes you think twice about instructing and even just sitting passenger in a car...

I know this track is home base for some of you.

 

Ouch yes very sad for sure, and why I could never be an instructor (besides the fact that I'm not good enough ).

This happened on Jefferson not Main? There's a left hander that heads onto the longest straight (on the old section of track) which I could see being very dicey if someone took it way too fast..

 

My condolences to the instructors friends and family. With that being said and after watching the video, I would never, ever drive on that track. All those trees and no Armco? Seriously? And flagman just standing on the edge of the track?

 

Damn, that's a sad thing to read about

 

Just saw that in another forum section. Sorry to read that and I hope that all of us keep that in mind when we have someone ride along.

 

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/tra...int-today.html

More detail and info from someone there that day.

 

Read this as I was signing up to instruct in two weeks. Give me that warm and fuzzy feeling.

That said , I wonder if there is a statistic on HPDE fatalities given there are a lot of people HPDE'ing every single day somewhere in the world.

 

I have not seen any statistics around something like that... I will say that this instructor died from two main reasons:

• Not taking control of the situation
• No guardrails or tire walls to prevent cars from hitting trees

Before anyone gets upset on the first point, I just want to point out that many instructors don't know what to do with a crazed student. They don't think about popping the car into neutral and/or ripping the emergency brake when they are on the passenger side of the car. Some of them don't see the signs of an out of control student until it's too late. This is a tragic situation and my condolences are with the family.

As for point two, IMO, there should be no reason a car impacts a tree at a race track in this day and age. If it was a barrier instead of a tree, the instructor would more than likely be with us here today. That doesn't mean all barrier crashes are survivable, but there is a better chance with a side collision with a barrier than a tree. That being said, pick the tracks you instruct at wisely. If the track is not safe, don't instruct.

 

I agree with you, except for this (see italics). I think that's more likely to cause a crash than anything else. I'm not sure how that would help...

If they managed not to crash after being taken by surprise by such an action, then the point would be relayed. Although, I think screaming to slow down and pit the car would effectively serve the same purpose with less risk involved, beyond that, i'm don't know what else an instructor can do.

 

The trick, or piece to that, is to know when those actions would be appropriate. Skip Barber and the other main race schools teach their instructors similarly. I will say, I've never been in a car when any of those actions were deemed needed; but there are times when you have to do something (even if it's grabbing the wheel).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPWPlLefg8g

The thing to know is that as an instructor, you are not powerless in the passenger seat. If that's your mindset, you shouldn't be instructing.