The tragic death of actress Natasha Richardson from a seemingly innocuous fall on a beginners' ski slope in Quebec highlights the dangers of brain and head injuries in many sports including bicycling, football and skiing.

And motor racing.

Richardson apparently died due to pressure on her brain from swelling and bleeding. Typically, she initially felt fine but as the pressure increased she complained of pain but by then it was too late to save her life.

I was reminded of this when Journal photographer Steve Szydlowski and I recently visited Bill Mack at his shop in Bristol for a future story. Mack, a cheery sort with a ready chuckle despite his own run of personal tragedy, restores old British sports cars - Austin Healeys, MGs and Truimphs.

He also used to race at the Sports Car Club of America level, getting up to the Sports 2000 series. But a bad crash at Lime Rock Park in 2002 sent him to the hospital with a basilar skull fracture, or a fracture at the base of the skull.

It was the same injury that killed Dale Earnhardt Sr. and resulted in race car drivers now being required to wear neck support collars to keep their heads from slamming forward.

As Mack put it, when his Lola T594 went straight into a barrier at around 115 mph, his head weighed the equivalent of a ton as it jerked forward. He said his life was saved due to the collar he was wearing.

And anyone who watched Bob Tasca III win the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Fla., last weekend could see his head was literally encased in a massive helmet, collar and fireproof material.

But then he is getting up to 300 mph in about four seconds!

Uhmm ... I'll repeat that:

But then he is getting up to 300 mph in about four seconds!

It is now likely that helmets will be required on ski slopes, a move that could prevent many injuries every year. And helmets and collars are already de rigueur on the race track.

And as for the motorcyclists who steadfastly refuse to wear helmets, they have every right to do so in states, like ours, that do not require them. They have only themselves to harm and they know it and are prepared to take the risk.

- Peter C.T. Elsworth