People don't realize that the seat is the other half of the belt system. The only reason you can really have belts tight on the body is you pulled yourself down into the seat. Now if the seat should give way, your belts give way. You have to characterize that as well. In the end, because of the tremendous stature he enjoyed, Earnhardt's death probably will do more for the safety movement in the sport than anything.
Research continues in an effort to make the seating compartment and front end of the cars safer.
And to those who followed in his footsteps, what happened on the final Daytona lap proved no one is invincible. I think that influences these young drivers. For the most part, he avoided the big ones. And when he didn't, he got out of them. That was the mindset that impeded the progress, and ironically his death is going to speed it up.