Motor racing is dangerous.

How very sad.
It does make you wonder if there should be a minimum age limit on participating in dangerous sports.
 
I was actually thinking of 16+. Which would still be sad, but I would imagine that a 16 year old is better able to make an informed decision of his/her own.
 
Have you met many sixteen year old's lately, informed is not a term I'd use, many thousands of children go karting this is just one very sad incident, children die every single day from all sorts of things seven children die every day on our roads alone.
 
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It does make you wonder if there should be a minimum age limit on participating in dangerous sports.
No. I started riding at in 1992, and was jumping only a couple of years later. After Christopher Reeves' accident in 1995, both my parents asked me, independently, what I thought about his accident, and whether I understood that what I was doing could hurt me just as badly. They wanted to know whether I wanted to keep riding, even understanding that I could be paralyzed or killed.

I gave the same answer I'd give if it had happened today: I love what I do too much to let fear make me give it up.

I'd give you the same answer about karting and other motorsports.

The idea that society at large - who are, for the most part, ignorant - can dictate what level of risk is acceptable for someone else in a voluntary activity is ridiculous.

I'm not stupid, I don't have a death wish, I do use proper safety equipment and best practices, and strongly advocate that others do the same. To me, the rewards are worth the risk. My understanding of risk as a child, was in many ways, actually better than it is as an adult. The bad thing about learning the statistics is that it's easier to rationalize a risk if you think "oh, it's only a ten percent chance" as opposed to "if I fall off, I will get hurt".

And in case anyone thinks equestrian activities are safe: Over 100 deaths per year are estimated to result from equestrian related activities in the US. Sadly, I couldn't find stats that included only non-youth equestrian accidents, or stats for motorsports that did include youth accidents, so I can't give you a direct apples to apples comparison. However, a stat I did find is that in the US there are on average 22 deaths per year, in all levels of motorsport with the exception of youth karting, motorbikes, monster trucks, mud racing, and racing schools.
 
That race track is 2 miles from my house. Bloody shame.

I think kids racing on a proper race track in regulation cars is one thing, but racing a home prepared Mini (they are death traps in a crash) for what used to be called banger racing is not something that kids should be doing. The risks are way higher. The track at Lochgelly is little more than a Tarmaced dirt track with Armco. It is not safe and is now under investigation by the police.

The track in question.
 
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As happens all to frequently, too late. There are some things where Health and Safety are necessary. And even more where they aren't but still poke their noses in.
 
The track at Lochgelly is little more than a Tarmaced dirt track with Armco.

Interestingly, when the Charlotte Observer (I linked to a summary of their findings in my previous post) did their research into motorsports safety, they found that dirt ovals were one of the highest risk environments in which to take part in motorsports in the US. It came down to poor track safety, and voluntary use of safety equipment.
 
That track started off as grass track in a field which they eventually got some cowboys to tarmac. No idea how they got permission for it. If they did. I wouldn't even risk spectating at it.
 
Very sad for the boy and his family. The only consolation I can take, when anyone dies doing something like this, was that they were doing what they enjoyed.
 
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