[diggyj]

After every race where there has been an incident, safety standards are looked at. A few years ago after cars rolled numerous times in the gravel traps, FIA introduced run off areas to limit cars rolling when involved in an incident. The number of gravel traps have been reduced dramatically on F1 circuits.

They have also introduced tethers that are attached to the tires to prevent them from going into the crowd or rolling away. These however still don't function prpoerly as I have seen incindents recently where drivers involved in accidents have had there tires get ripped off and roll away. I think the tethers jobs is also to take the inital impact and if it is ripped of the force of a flying wheel is greatly reduced.