8yr old drag racer dies at Perth Motorplex

[GTP534]

I watched the Channel 10 News on Saturday and they said she was seriously injured. My daughter was watching the Channel 7 News later and I overheard she had died. My heart broke at that news, I have a daughter turning 8 soon.

Rest in Peace little girl, condolences to the family. Like others have said, I hope something positive will come out of this tragedy.

[BlueBear]

Terrible accident and i feel so much for her family, especially her parents.

However that's what it was - an accident.

If you are going to knee jerk and restrict the age limit, are you going to do so for all motorsport, in fact all sport in general?
MotoX can start at 2yrs old and proper racing at 6.
Carting is similar.

Obviously precautions are taken in all cases and training is vital.
But you cant protect anyone from all accidents and consequences.
This is not to say though that there couldn't be ways to improve safety at the track, and I'm sure that will be investigated.

IMO we already have way too much nanny state as it is.
Stuff I remember doing 80kph on my pushbike when i was 9 or 10.
Used to race the big boys for fun on the weekends.
Came off quite a few times and it was only luck that I didn't hit a guide post with my head or something.

I say hat's off to the parents that get out and support their kids in their chosen sport, well done to you all.

Cheers,

[FairmontGS]

Originally Posted by BlueBear

But you cant protect anyone from all accidents and consequences.

True, but you can minimise putting kids in harm's way. I mean we're the adults and they're the children. Maybe there's just some activities that can't/shouldn't physically be undertaken by children until they've developed sufficiently to be able to perform them competently?

[BlueBear]

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

True, but you can minimise putting kids in harm's way. I mean we're the adults and they're the children. Maybe there's just some activities that can't/shouldn't physically be undertaken by children until they've developed sufficiently to be able to perform them competently?

I thoroughly agree, and I bet her parents do too, keep in mind she had been practicing for 2 years...

Consider how many kids die in pools each year?
How many at the beach?
How many on carnival rides etc?

Got to say I would rather her be in the drag racer she was in than in the cars driven by parents on the phone.

Lots of ways of looking at things and lots of opinions, most with merit.
But knee jerks are just that.

Cheers,

[au350hp]

Lost for words. R.I.P Little Angel.

[Syndrome]

Question that first comes to my mind is how can top fuel have accidents approaching 300mph and survive but a girl driving a car only capable of about 75mph can't protect her in an accident?

[OzriderXR8]

I can only imagine what their going through, I couldn't comprehend loosing my daughter at any age.

I must admit at first I thought 8 was a bit young but then I thought back to when I was a 9 year old kid trying to squeeze every bit of speed I could out of a Honda 50 without even a helmet on.

[noflac52]

Many more kids die in backyard swimming pools usually due to inattention by adults. This is a sport that has been going for many years where the parents and other adults are paying attention to what the kids do with out another incident of this kind. Parents and others assisting and helping the kids all the way certainly beats the hell out of faulty pool gates, fences etc and a lack of attention to what the kids are up to! RIP.

[Maka]

Junior drag racing in WA has been suspended -

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-1...66?pfmredir=sm

cheers, Maka

[Nu66et]

I think the key thing there is suspended whilst o2loce are investigating.

[LTDHO]

Reading "Accident" makes me sick to the stomach.

There is someone at fault for the loss of this little girls life. I can see a massive review of the sport and a legal case.

[Swxr6t]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

Reading "Accident" makes me sick to the stomach.

There is someone at fault for the loss of this little girls life. I can see a massive review of the sport and a legal case.

Why does there have to be someone at fault?

Sad as it is it was just a freak accident.

Kids do way more dangerous activities than this all the time, and yes accidents happen.

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by Swxr6t

Why does there have to be someone at fault?

Sad as it is it was just a freak accident.

Kids do way more dangerous activities than this all the time, and yes accidents happen.

It's the modern way.

Fingers MUST be pointed in all situations.

Junior drag racing has been around 20 years or more. First death that I know of.

Just wait for the cotton wool brigade to start wailing......

[GTMOND]

Very sad, but riding to school would be a higher risk. You here about kids getting hit on bikes all the time, but they don’t ban bikes.
I will wait to see what comes out of it, but listening to radio last night the media seems to have made up their opinions already. They were going on about how powerful it must have been, without knowing absolutely nothing about the sport.

[Maka]

Originally Posted by Swxr6t

Why does there have to be someone at fault?

Sad as it is it was just a freak accident.

Kids do way more dangerous activities than this all the time, and yes accidents happen.

Do you know if all safety barriers were in place?

Kids do risky stuff in their own time privately but when something goes wrong at a organised event thats a bit different due to a number of reasons ie: insurance for instance.

Imo let the authorities get on with the job & see what they find.

cheers, Maka

[Nu66et]

Whether you want to blame someone or not, things dont just happen for no reason.

[LTDHO]

Originally Posted by Swxr6t

Why does there have to be someone at fault?

Sad as it is it was just a freak accident.

Kids do way more dangerous activities than this all the time, and yes accidents happen.

Everything happens because of what someone did or didn't do.

I agree, Jnr Drags is safer than other kids activities/sports. But being a motor sport, just wait for the lead hammer to come crushing down.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Maka

Do you know if all safety barriers were in place?

Kids do risky stuff in their own time privately but when something goes wrong at a organised event thats a bit different due to a number of reasons ie: insurance for instance.

Imo let the authorities get on with the job & see what they find.

cheers, Maka

Correct, coroners inquest will determine the outcome of the accident and what action that need to be taken.

[BlueBear]

From what I have read, the accident itself was mostly the fault of the young girl, she took the wrong exit off the track.
This being the case she was traveling too fast for this exit and the dragster couldn't take the turn.
Unfortunately due to extremely bad luck she collected the beginning of the barrier after the opening hitting this barrier right at the point of where she was sitting. At the time the speed was estimated at about 30mph.

It is very fitting that an inquiry be held as even though this was a freak accident things need to be looked at to prevent a further occurrence or even a similar accident.

Things I would want considered are:-
1 how do we improve cockpit protection in Junior Dragsters, particular side impacts.
2 can the barrier openings be made safer - perhaps looking at something like the safer barriers in Nascar.
3 should the gate have even been open during that particular run.
4 was the girl given the correct info not to use that exit.

IMO non of this should be about apportioning blame, but rather to make the sport safer for all competitors.
This may be in the way of physical protection and/or procedural regulations.

From what I understand that is also the view of the parents.

[Kieron]

Originally Posted by Maka

Do you know if all safety barriers were in place?

I believe she turned into the exit, the front wheels skipped and the car came into contact with the concrete wall which has an angled piece of iron to protect it.

My heart sank when I heard the news, just can't get her face out of my mind.

[NTF6]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

Reading "Accident" makes me sick to the stomach.

There is someone at fault for the loss of this little girls life. I can see a massive review of the sport and a legal case.

By definition, an accident is where the outcome is NOT reasonably foreseeable by an ordinary person. And many ordinary people would say that this outcome was not reasonably foreseeable.

[Express]

'Her smile was infectious': Anita Board's dad says daughter's death was a 'one in a million' accident


Heather McNeill
Hannah Barry
13 November 2017


The heartbroken father of eight-year-old Anita Board, who died in a junior dragster race, says her tragic death was a "one in a million" accident.

"Anita had a bright bubbly personality and a smile that was infectious," he said.

"Her passion for motorsport, drag racing and being here as a family with her sister at the track was the highlight of her life.

"We feel blessed to have had her eight years and she's going to be forever missed.

"We are grateful for the love and support of the community of the junior dragster association."

Mr Board said the family would encourage kids to continue participating in the sport they loved.

"We chose drag racing because we believed it was the safest form of motorsport that we would allow our girls to do.

"Its history speaks for itself. Sadly this one in a million event happened to us and to our little girl.

"We do want the kids to go on and enjoy their racing. We do understand there will need to be a couple of changes, but we don't believe there needs to be major change."

Anita died following a crash at Perth Motorplex on Saturday afternoon, where she lost control of her vehicle and crashed into a cement barrier.

She had been racing in a junior drag event.

The fatal crash will be investigated by WA Police and the Australian National Drag Racing Association (ANDRA), with a Coroner's inquiry into the matter expected to be prioritised.

ANDRA spokesman Terry Jongen confirmed the sport would be looking for ways to improve following the tragedy.

"Like all sporting codes we are constantly seeking to improve. Once the continued police investigation into Saturday night's tragic incident at the Motorplex has been completed, ANDRA will undertake its own investigation," Mr Jongen said.

Acting Premier Roger Cook said he thought it was "extraordinary" a child so young could be permitted to race at such speeds.

"Our heartfelt sympathies go out to the family of young Anita, I can't image the pain and the sorrow that that family is feeling today," he said.

"96 kilometres an hour seems an extraordinary speed to me, I think it would strike anyone that it's an extraordinary speed for an eight-year-old to be having the sole control of a vehicle.

"I'm not an expert in motor sports, I'm certainly not an expert in motor sport safety and so it's appropriate we wait for the various inquiries to go into this to make sure we get to the bottom of the matter."


Australian National Drag Racing Association permitted speeds for children with a junior competition licence:

8 - 10 years old: up to 96 kilometres per hour
11 - 12 years old - up to 128 kilometres per hour
13 - 16 years old - up to 144 kilometres per hour


Sports Minister Mick Murray said the state government would take a "hard look" at the state's child racing rules once the inquiries were complete.

"I was very surprised to find out that they were allowed to be in the system but in saying that from my understanding it was well controlled but an unfortunate accident that happened," he said.

"Junior competition drag racing - which includes ages eight to 16 - will be suspended at Perth Motorplex until the investigation is complete.

"The suspension of this category of motorsport activity allows for a full investigation to be carried out into the nature of the accident.

"The state government will wait until the details of the accident are clear following the investigation before taking any further action."

Anita was racing in the junior dragster category on Saturday afternoon when she lost control of her vehicle.

Paramedics were on standby for the event and immediately ran to the site of the crash.

The event was stopped for about two hours while paramedics and police attended to Anita.

She was rushed to Rockingham Hospital and then later transferred to Princess Margaret Hospital.

It is understood she died just after 1pm on Sunday.

The Board family, from Aubin Grove, said on their Facebook page that Anita had celebrated her birthday by going go-karting to get more practice before going for her junior competition licence.

The page showed Anita with a 210CC purple dragster called "Pony Power" while her older sister Zara has a blue-streaked dragster named "Night Fury".

The racing community has rallied around the Board family, with the West Coast Junior Dragsters Association posting condolences.

Friends and family of the Board's are also changing their social media profile pictures to an image of My Little Pony character Rainbow Dash as a sign of support.

WA Police wish to speak with anyone who saw or took video of the crash.



.

http://www.smh.com.au/wa-news/extrao...13-gzkap1.html



.

[au350hp]

In Sydney last week, a 51 year old lost control of her car, crashing through a school car park and coming to rest after ploughing in to a classroom. This resulted in the loss of another two 8 year old children. Many years ago. I was a passenger in a horrific car accident involving loss of life. People say things happen for a reason and you take the positive out of the situation and move on.
I cannot see how anything positive can come out of the loss of such young lives. Let it be a reminder to all of us to love each other a bit more & when you drive, drive sober & ignore the phone. God bless these three young children and may their deaths not be in vain.

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by BlueBear

From what I have read, the accident itself was mostly the fault of the young girl, she took the wrong exit off the track.
This being the case she was traveling too fast for this exit and the dragster couldn't take the turn.
Unfortunately due to extremely bad luck she collected the beginning of the barrier after the opening hitting this barrier right at the point of where she was sitting. At the time the speed was estimated at about 30mph.

It is very fitting that an inquiry be held as even though this was a freak accident things need to be looked at to prevent a further occurrence or even a similar accident.

Things I would want considered are:-
1 how do we improve cockpit protection in Junior Dragsters, particular side impacts.
2 can the barrier openings be made safer - perhaps looking at something like the safer barriers in Nascar.
3 should the gate have even been open during that particular run.
4 was the girl given the correct info not to use that exit.

IMO non of this should be about apportioning blame, but rather to make the sport safer for all competitors.
This may be in the way of physical protection and/or procedural regulations.

From what I understand that is also the view of the parents.

[aussiblue]

I understood the kiddies drag cars used a different exit just after the 400 meter mark on the track. Looking at Google earth overhead view of the Perth Motorplex there does appear to be an exit there with open gates and if this is the case and is what was used, I wonder if the problem may be in part that it:

a) might be more difficult to see/judge where this exit is; and
b) unlike the end of track exit, it requires a left turn off the track that may be hard to judge for inexperienced kids in such a way to make it a smooth turn rather than a more dangerous sharp 90 degree exit turn.

Of course this is just speculation and it's really best left to the official investigators to tell us what actually happened.

[4vxc]

there is so much incorrect info being given here, this thread should be locked

[BlueBear]

Originally Posted by 4vxc

there is so much incorrect info being given here, this thread should be locked

Or you could just take the time to straighten us all out.
Please do enlighten us - sincerely said, not sarcastically.

Cheers,

[aussiblue]

I wouldn't be upset if the thread was locked and/or deleted and/or even my posts deleted as google search on the issue brings up this thread in the top 5 and there is a risk the media will start reading and reporting the posts as gospel. The family is doubtless stressed enough without media speculation. I wrongly assumed that this thread would not get such a high profile and anything posted however speculative would be innocuous. On reflection that's seems not to be the case.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

I wouldn't be upset if the thread was locked and/or deleted and/or even my posts deleted as google search on the issue brings up this thread in the top 5 and there is a risk the media will start reading and reporting the posts as gospel. The family is doubtless stressed enough without media speculation. I wrongly assumed that this thread would not get such a high profile and anything posted however speculative would be innocuous. On reflection that's seems not to be the case.

What media speculation! have not seen it in any form , think people here should stop going on about the media doing a beat up over this.
Only speculation I see is here in some of the responses posted on this forum.

Maybe all of this should be deleted after all.

[BENT_8]

I don't think it should be locked, sure, a lot of what has been written is speculative but that's because we only have media reports to go by.
This is the perfect demographic from which to get a true idea of peoples feelings about junior drag events because as enthusiasts who are also parents in many cases, this stuff is very relevant.
I'd rather read the honest opinions of people who have regularly attended meets than some politician who is just looking to appeasing the electorate for self preservation.

Its a terribly sad situation and my heart goes out to this little girl, her family and all those who were involved in the fight for her life but life must go on and lessons learnt.
Would I be comfortable with my little girl piloting one of these machines, probably not, but if its something she'd grown up around and her dream to compete in, i'd support her right or wrong.

My2c.