A race driver who was blinded in an accident 10 years ago achieved the Guinness World Records title for “Fastest Speed for a Car Driven Blindfolded”.
Dan Parker drove a customised car at a speed of 339.64 km/h on the runway at Spaceport America in his customized Corvette. His car includes an innovative audio guidance system that’s specifically designed to his needs.
Parker had a life-changing accident 10 years ago, which left him blind. Incidentally, he achieved the record on the 10-year anniversary of the day he was blinded in a racing accident.
The record attempt was made as part of the acceleration of the National Federation of the Blind’s (NFB) Blind Driver Challenge. The initiative aims to call attention to the importance of breaking barriers in mobility and to demonstrate the incredible achievements of blind people.
“We have not only demonstrated that a blind person can operate a vehicle safely, but that we can do it at over two hundred miles per hour,” Parker said.
“We hope this success inspires blind people and shows the world the potential of modern technology like self-driving cars to help the blind break barriers in everyday mobility and beyond,” he added.