Series works on safer cars for 2005

CAPE, an industry leader in the science of safety technology has been enlisted by the series to conduct safety research with the aim of developing new ideas for restraint systems and monitoring the forces induced on drivers by a crash impact.

To gather information a 2001 Reynard chassis was recently put through a crash test, being driven into a wall at 50mph. In order to record the results of the impace, the car was fitted with a crash-data recorder, and monitoring devices in the foot well and on the brake pedals. The 170-pound dummy that was in the cockpit was also fitted with an earpiece accelerometer that measures the forces on the head.

The CART series, which is currently dominated by Lola chassis, has introduced a two-year development freeze on cars for 2003 and 2004. It is planning on introducing new regulations for chassis design in 2005.

CART director of technology and competition Lee Dyskstra said: "We are aware of the dangers that drivers face and we are doing all we can to protect the driver in an accident. We are working on the design of the 2005 chassis and we intend to make every effort to ensure that our cars are as safe on they can possibly be."