As the Stig says, much has been done in the area of safety, both for the drivers and the audience, since those days. There was much controversy surrounding that crash and even Mike Hawthorn received blame from some sources. Perhaps the most important cause is highlighted in another thread started by the Stig today, however: quality of drivers. Pierre Levegh was getting on in years and had never been much of a racer at the best of times. This was probably his last chance at driving a top flight car and many had advised Mercedes against putting him into it. But they went ahead and slowing reflexes, tiredness after many hours of racing, and the huge speed differentials between the prototypes and the almost standard sportscars also entered created that terrible accident.