# Jason Priestley in serious crash **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 11, 2002, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jason-priestley-in-serious-crash/123425 "2002-08-11T19:34:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jason-priestley-in-serious-crash/123425/1 "2002-08-11T19:34:56Z")
> [@](#): > > SPARTA, Ky. (Aug. 11) - Actor Jason Priestley crashed head-on into a wall at close to 180 mph during practice for a race Sunday and was in serious condition with a head injury and a broken back. > > The former ``Beverly Hills 90210’’ television star was in serious condition at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington but was stable and responding, Indy Racing League medical director Henry Bock said. ---
**Author:** ![TVGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@TVGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jason-priestley-in-serious-crash/123425/2 "2002-08-11T19:36:56Z")
Here’s a [link](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/motorsports/news/2002/08/11/priestley_injured_ap/) to CNN/SI on the story ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jason-priestley-in-serious-crash/123425/3 "2002-08-12T03:17:06Z")
Now that I think about it, how the _hell_ does somebody survive a 180 mph head-on collision? ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jason-priestley-in-serious-crash/123425/4 "2002-08-12T05:23:30Z")
They crash in a car specially designed to hold up as well as possible when crashing head-on into something at 180 mph, I’d assume. Not that it often helps very much. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jason-priestley-in-serious-crash/123425/5 "2002-08-12T10:38:25Z")
The type of car he was driving is made to break apart in order to absorb some of the impact of a crash. It’s not unusual to see a driver walk away from nothing more than the roll cage. Priestly, however, hit a sharper angle and the car held together for the most part. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jason-priestley-in-serious-crash/123425/6 "2002-08-12T11:21:35Z")
I don’t know the details of Priestly’s crash, but he might have struck a “soft wall” which is coming more into vogue at race traciks. The Watkins Glen road course has a 10-foot styrofoam wall built all around it, and a couple years ago, Jimmie Johnson lost his brakes and struck that sucker head-on at about 150-160mph. He walked away without a scratch. (They show the crash quite often on “You Gotta See This!” and other such.) ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jason-priestley-in-serious-crash/123425/7 "2002-08-12T11:59:36Z")
I think that it is sad that we live in a world where an ‘actor’ makes front page news for being in an accident. Don’t get me wrong, I hope the guy is Okay, the same that I hope _anybody_ in an accident is okay. The fact that he was on a crappy TV show doesn’t give him any special consideration in my book. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jason-priestley-in-serious-crash/123425/8 "2002-08-12T12:29:05Z")
He’s not getting special consideration - he’s a celebrity whose name is known to millions outside of racing. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jason-priestley-in-serious-crash/123425/9 "2002-08-12T13:52:05Z")
This remind anyone else of that Simpsons episode (“Krusty Gets Kancelled”) where Luke Perry is a guest voice ? ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jason-priestley-in-serious-crash/123425/10 "2002-08-12T16:13:24Z")
For purposes of comparison, the great [Ayrton Senna](http://www.ayrton-senna.com/s-files/start.html) died in just such a situation. As far as racing accidents go, Priestley’s injuries are rather typical: badly injured feet and legs, fractured spine. Fortunately he appears to have escaped the real killers–head and internal injuries. I sincerely hope that the fellow recovers. On the bright side, since the guy is probably gonna be in a body cast for the next six months to a year, he’s a shoo-in for a remake of _Rear Window_. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jason-priestley-in-serious-crash/123425/11 "2002-08-12T16:23:37Z")
…trying to resist…pressure too great… Jason Priestly was in a serious crash, and we’re not talking about his career! Badaboom! ---
**Author:** ![Peach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/67e7ee/32.png) [@Peach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peach)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jason-priestley-in-serious-crash/123425/12 "2002-08-12T21:46:01Z")
its sucks but thats the kinda risks you take when you race cars!! ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jason-priestley-in-serious-crash/123425/13 "2002-08-12T23:22:53Z")
I heard on the radio this morning that Jason Priestley dodged a bullet–although his back was broken, his spinal cord was not injured. So while his injuries are serious, he should make a full recovery and walk again. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jason-priestley-in-serious-crash/123425/14 "2002-08-12T23:35:25Z")
I just saw it reported on FoxNews that he’s been transferred to another hospital, but that he seems to have avoided paralysis, although he’s suffering some memory loss. He can, according to the report, say his name. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jason-priestley-in-serious-crash/123425/15 "2002-08-12T23:41:45Z")
I just saw it reported on FoxNews that he’s been transferred to another hospital, but that he seems to have avoided paralysis, although he’s suffering some memory loss. He can, according to the report, say his name. 🙂