How Salt Walther's Indy 500 Crash Led to Innovations in Racing Safety
20th century
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4m 42s
Driver Salt Walther suffered serious injuries in a crash at the 1973 Indianapolis 500. He recovered and returned to race the next year.
The remains of Walther's McLaren race car are a reminder of the importance of safety in racing. Walther's survival can be partly attributed to past safety innovations, like the roll bar on the car or the fire resistant suit he was wearing. Many safety changes were implemented after Walther's crash as well. Learn more about the crash and the safety improvements that followed.
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