I was commissioned to do research and compile a video of fatal crashes. Just thought I'd share it:
(this includes NASCAR and F1 fatalities)

Edited 7/4/07: I'm currently uploading a fuller version of the video. It'll likely be up by tomorrow

Edited 7/6/07:

EDITED 9/4/09:

Please view this post:
Well...looking back at this old thread, I realize what a poor title this is...anyways please view this post:
http://www.lfsforum.net/showthread.php?p=1249400#post1249400

A tasteful video, much better than those ones with crappy rock music over them. I saw the Greg Moore one live before college one morning, i actually flipped on the TV which was already on Eurosport about 30 seconds before the crash

Finally an honourable video for the drivers who have died with like ATC points out appropriate music. Some of those crashes are trully horrific.

It was really necessary to show this?

Great video. Respectfully done. Zero glorification of the accidents.

I'll never figure out this fixation we got with watching other people getting killed, maimed, injured or just plain hurt on video. So much as that we even make compilations of that stuff.

I've also heard whole motorsports discussions revolve only around accidents ("hey, you seen that video of so and so getting decapitated?" "yeah man... terrible... but did you see that one that five people burned to death and someone who ran to save them got shredded by sheer narrative imperative?")

Video was well made and the music fitted. As for seeing the crashes that is up to the individual who makes the video but the best tribute I have seen was one where it showed a few crashes but just named alot of the drivers who died.
I don't think it is a fixation for most to see the people die it is more people remembering those who have died in motorsport. I personally don't like to see the crashes which is why i liked the video where is listed the names. It a memorial to those who died doing what they loved.

I always get a weird feeling while watching this sort of thing and it's not an enjoyable one. Still can't look away, even though eventually I end up stopping the video.
On another note, I still don't understand Dale Ernhardt's crash How he died in that, it seemed relatively light.

EDIT: I was sorta comforting myself during the Roger Williamson clip, with that after a heavy impact, he would most likely not be conscious anyway. I guess he was

fantasticly done, very well thought out and very tasteful.

Some of them are particularly hard to watch, especially the Roger Williamson one where none of the marshalls are helping the distraught driver trying to save him. Very emotional.

Put it this way, if we didn't see these videos it would be like watching a World War 2 film where nobody dies. I like to know the evils of the world, not for my entertainment but so I can gain some knowledge or greater understanding of the sport I love. Its not disrespectful or sick to watch these videos, its disrespectful and sick to brag about what you saw or to get some kind of cheap thrill from it.

Often the reason I watch these videos is to make sure they are made respectfully, if I find one with Linkin Park or gangsta rap on it then I made it my duty to try and get that video removed and the user banned, be it from youtube, livevideo, google video or just on a forum.

Quote from CasseBent :

On another note, I still don't understand Dale Ernhardt's crash How he died in that, it seemed relatively light.

First was hit from the right side very hard, shifting his body to the right of the car, then hits the wall at a sharp angle at 150 mph. His head hit the steering wheel where the helmet is not very strong.

Quote from sweetreid :

First was hit from the right side very hard, shifting his body to the right of the car, then hits the wall at a sharp angle at 150 mph. His head hit the steering wheel where the helmet is not very strong.

No, it shifted his body to the right, so his head missed the steering wheel, and therefore didn't stop until his skull cracked where the neck joins. He chose not to use the hans device, and payed the price. Why the hell anyone would choose not to use a safety device designed to reduce the risk of death is totally beyond me.

Quote from CasseBent :

I still don't understand Dale Ernhardt's crash How he died in that, it seemed relatively light.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Dale_Earnhardt

Quote from DaveWS :

No, it shifted his body to the right, so his head missed the steering wheel, and therefore didn't stop until his skull cracked where the neck joins. He chose not to use the hans device, and payed the price. Why the hell anyone would choose not to use a safety device designed to reduce the risk of death is totally beyond me.

HANS is incredibly uncomfortable, and earnhardt was old school, basically.

I felt like shit after watching this....

Great vid but a hard one to watch, Respect to all the drivers, They died for there love of motorsport.........

Quote from LFSn00b :

Ew damn, thats the most hi res video i've seen from the Tom Pryce's one :/
Sad to die like that.

Tom pryce died by getting smacked in the head by a fire extuingisher. Wont have felt a thing. Its the marshall i feel sorry for.

Farewell to these bold men who love their sport, but paid a immeasureable price.

May their souls rest in peace....

Emotional but tactful can't ask for more really.

I liked how in the earlier Gp's, even drivers stopped their cars immediately to go and help...much more honor in those days...

Quote from Paranoid Android :

I liked how in the earlier Gp's, even drivers stopped their cars immediately to go and help...much more honor in those days...

Yeah.

Niki lauda springs to mind that pisses me off aswell. If other drivers hadnt stopped and pulled him out at the nurburgring he would be in that video up there^^. Yet when somebody else crashed, he carried on and later said "i get paid to race not to stop" "thats what the marshalls are for" or something to that effect. Incidentally, it was purley who had a go at him for not stopping at the williamson incident.

(sorry for going OT, just had to post that, really annoys me).

This is a very well done tribute. I hate the people who put up the crappy ones with rock/punk/shitty music and try to get a cheap thrill off them.

DK

Jesus i feel horrible after watching that,the really disturbing part for me was how many died racing at ovals?

Very depressing which means it was well done video

Would have been nice if there was year mentioned under the driver name.

From my point of view was too biased on NASCAR and lacked few famous accidents, at least Le Mans 1955 disaster should be have been included.

thx for the compliments guys. I worked hard on the video.

I was close to crying from making it

I also realize that there's many mistakes on the video (such as Ayrton Senna's and J.D. McDuffie's name mispelled.) I'll get to work on fixing the video asap

I'll try add some more drivers however please keep in mind that these footages are not easy to find.