Challenges of emergency care and traumatology in motorsport athletes

High-speed trauma, as regularly occurs in motorsport, is associated with a significant risk for the drivers affected and thus has the highest incidence rates for serious injuries, polytrauma and fatalities compared to other sports. The unique conditions that prevail at the racetrack and during racing operations require a differentiated approach to emergency care for crashed racing drivers, which has led to the development of trauma life support concepts adapted for motorsport, such as Trauma Life Support in Motorsport (TLSM) and Race Track Trauma Life Support (RTTLS). These concepts comply with all FIA regulatory requirements and enable rapid and high-level preclinical emergency care. The objective of this thesis is to identify the differences between accidents in motorsport compared to those in public traffic and the resulting challenges for preclinical emergency care for injured racing drivers. This was conducted by reviewing existing literature, which indicated a very high standard of infrastructure and emergency care procedures, as well as efficient safety precautions brought about by strict racetrack requirements and advanced safety systems integrated into the vehicle and worn by the driver. This already high standard of safety measures and medical care can only be surpassed by very specific modifications and innovations.