SEF initiatives set to improve driver and circuit safetyMotorsport community encouraged to #jump4SEF

One year ago today (October 15) professional racing driver Sean Edwards was killed at Queensland Raceway in Australia. Now the foundation that bears his name is making a renewed bid to implement a number of safety initiatives throughout the sport and beyond.Principally, this involves lobbying key decision makers and opinion formers at both a national and international level about adopting proposals the Sean Edwards Foundation feels are essential if the consequences upon which the charity was founded are to be avoided in the future. To this end SEF has identified three key initiatives designed to educate and improve drivers competing at all levels of international motorsport. Initially, its attention will focus on the Sean Edwards Test (SET), Fast Track, and Accident Support.Sean Edwards Test: No standardised safety awareness course or test currently exists within motorsport training. SEF aims to address this by educating youngsters, amateurs and gentleman drivers about the importance of upholding personal safety when racing.Only once a driver has passed the SET, which will feature a simulator session, professional racing driver coaches, real case histories, track time and genuine onboard video situations, should their race license be awarded. It’s also hoped that passing SET will automatically lower insurance premiums.Fast Track: One of Sean’s passions was mentoring aspiring, talented drivers. Fast Track will exist as a direct extension of that, continuing his legacy of combining speed with safety in pursuit of success. SEF will seek to identify young talented drivers who may not normally come to the attention of existing mentorship programmes. Research conducted amongst the motorsport community will help identify the key attributes SEF is seeking. It’s upon these that its drivers will be selected. A driver who exhibits the desired attitude, talent and attributes will be awarded the Sean Edwards Memorial Trophy.Accident Support: SEF will link up with key sports universities to develop rehabilitation centres dedicated to assisting injured racing drivers post-accident. The foundation will act as a coordinator and facilitator in helping drivers manage physical injuries, psychological implications and financial issues.Future initiatives will also include the banning of open-faced helmets and non-compliant passenger seats, a safety cell campaign and insurance lobbying.#jump4SEF12 months on from Sean’s fatal accident, and as a means of supporting SEF’s initiatives, the foundation is asking the motorsport community to come together today and #jump4SEF. This simply involves posting a picture on Twitter or Instagram of you jumping alongside the hashtag and @SeanEdwardsF Twitter handle. This holds special significance for the foundation as Sean would always leap in celebration on the podium after winning a race.Daphne McKinley, Sean’s mother and Founder/Chairman of SEF, said: “For obvious reasons this is an incredibly important day for the foundation, but simply marking the anniversary of Sean’s passing isn’t what we’re trying to achieve. From personal experience, and subsequently speaking to a number of people within the industry, it’s become clear that much more should be done to educate drivers about the risks they face and also make positive changes to the industry as a whole.“Sean was as critical as anyone on the subject of safety when coaching, but he still paid the ultimate sacrifice. I know that a lot of drivers feel the same way but it will take all stakeholders – circuits, promoters, organisers, manufacturers and governing bodies – pulling in the same direction if we’re to achieve real change. Hopefully SEF’s work will be the catalyst.”Full details of SEF’s safety initiatives, as well as more information about the foundation, can be found on the all-new www.seanedwardsfoundation.com .