Driver left paralysed from drifting accident back in the passenger seat with Driftability

“I’m glad that I faced my fear and moved forward.”

That’s how Cooloongup man Danny Westwood described his first time back in a race car after a horror drifting accident almost four years ago.

Racing in Japan, the now 29-year-old lost control of his vehicle and rolled, breaking his neck and leaving him paralysed from the chest down with limited movement in his arms.

Two years later, his friend would tag him in a Driftability Facebook post which would kickstart a new passion and path for the racer at heart.

“As soon as I saw it, I knew I needed to enter,” Mr Westwood said.

“There was an odd calm leading up to the event, much to my surprise.

“Once I was in the car, a mild panic attack set in but I kept it to myself. As soon as we hit the track, it was all smiles and nostalgia.”

Launched by Andy Whom in 2018, Driftability is a not-for-profit organisation that offers free drifting sessions to members of the disabled community.

It also raises money through a connected GoFundMe for Ability WA which provides various support services for people with disabilities.

After participating at Driftability twice in 2020 and 2021, Mr Westwood decided to get more involved.

“I realised that the part I enjoyed the most is seeing other people experience the sport I love — I guarantee you’ll never see more smiles in one place,” he said.

“I joined the committee at the start of the year. I work alongside an amazing team of four incredibly genuine people who all have a lot more experience running Driftability than I do.

“I’m just learning, helping where I can and offering comedic relief.”

The club is celebrating its fifth year and hopes to keep offering adrenaline-filled experiences to people living with disability and assisting people with life-changing injuries.

“For me, Driftability gave me the opportunity to face my biggest fear and move forward in my life,” Mr Westwood said.

“Now it’s giving me the opportunity to bring joy to others.

“Driftability brings the world a little closer to being accessible to all. It brings the disability community a little closer together, it helps to close the inclusion gap and it helps people push their limits in a controlled environment.”

To find out more about Driftability, visit its Facebook page.