mark kibort

yes, and those speeds are MUCH higher than we are talking about with cars. 10,000hp vs 800hp and im sure a lot more weight, but the speed is the most dominant factor.

No, that is not correct. the energy released is PROOF of that. if you slow the video down,of several of them... you see the impact, is like what a polevaulter would feel (as i have a LOT of experience there). the initial impact is horizontal, it takes a vertical component almost immediately as the car rotates.. the driver is actually still moving ..... watch it frame by frame and this becomes clear. this is a GREAT physics example. so no, dead wrong there. the impact is mitigated by the crumple zone up front and as it crumles, the vertical component is added. then it launches 15-20 feet or so. . this greatly lowers the g forces experienced by the driver.. again, just stopping the g forces might be over 100g.. with the vertical component, the forces look to be less than 50g. .

the catch fences you speak of are debris fences. BIG DIFFERENCE we are are talking about arrester nets or vences to slow a runnaway car down . this is used in drag racing and used on aircraft carriers.

go to 2:14 on the video below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jhx3lWGotk4

open wheel car fence crash go to 4:20

dgrobs

Thanks for posting that J.
Glad the outcome was a good one (well, not good, but not what it could have been).
That's one tough chica. So glad she is going to be ok.