[Lee Stewart]

The Worst Crash In Racing History Compelled A Racing Driver To Invent This Ubiquitous Safety Equipment

You’re probably familiar with the sand filled yellow barrels with black tops that are at many exits and highway barriers. These were invented by an American race car driver named John Fitch. You might recognize that name from the 1955 Le Mans disaster. Fitch was suited up and ready to take over at the next pitstop when his co-driver, Pierre Levegh, lost control and crashed into the crowd. It was the most catastrophic wreck in auto racing, killing 83 spectators and Levegh.

After the crash, Fitch devoted his time to making auto racing, and driving, safer. He wanted a solution that was easy to deploy and didn’t cost much. Inspiration came from the sand-filled oil cans that he used during World War II to attenuate the impact of bullets aimed at his tent. John Fitch was an amazing man: an inventor, engineer, P51 pilot, racing driver, and businessman.