According to NHTSA.gov annual report on NON-TRAFFIC DEATHS AROUND A VEHICLE:

"About 29 percent (168 of 588) of the noncrash fatalities involved people who were pinned or trapped under vehicles, usually while working on passenger vehicles that fell from their supports."

Let's not become a statistic:

http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/DOT...iTS/811085.pdf

 

Good reminder. I always feel a little strange going under a car. Still do it and take all precautions, but a bit creepy.

Mike

 

And amazing how little effort and common sense would have prevented most, if not all, of that 29%.....

 

My Uncle was killed this way...RIP

 

As I am going to crawl under my rig right now!!!!

 

A friend of mine was paralyzed when a stand failed and his car pinned him. When the wheels are off, I place cinder blocks as a backup safety catch. Paranoid, but hey you never know.

 

Scary. Thanks for the reminder.

 

I always use a backup such as leaving the floor jack under a lifting point or leaving the wheels on if possible although that won't help a lot on a Porsche. I see pics of cars on 4 jack stands with the wheels off and no back-up and I cringe.

 

Don't do this . . .

 

This is a link that rallyjon put up a year or so ago, I think a repost of the link is appropriate here.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.p...pic=70117&st=0

 

I remember this story and this is part of the reason I went with the ESCO's. I feel safe under them without backup but I guess you just never know.

 

That's a bit unnerving.

 

I too leave the floor jack underneath the car as a back-up measure when working with the car on jack stands. Other than oil changes I don't go under the car much and when I can I try to keep as much of my body out from underneath - just reach under with my long arms (I'm 6'1). You never know when that big tumbler may happen living here in Southern California. I don't want to be under my car when the big one happens!!!!

 

I am the paranoid type anyway, so I always use a backup, sometimes 2 when I have it up on stands. Usually the jack along with laying the wheels underneath. But even then, I hate being under the car... someday I'll have a lift.

 

My Grandfather was an auto mechanic and had his leg shattered when a car fell on him. I was standing under my 993 for a long while when I had it PPI'd and it gave me the *******.