Time is a strange thing in moments like that. You are forced out of any internal dialog and fully and completely in to the present moment. If you've not ever seen the movie Fearless with Jeff Bridges, I highly recommend it. There are people that get addicted to the extreme hyper-awareness and presence that situations like car accidents provide. This can account for the popularity of things like extreme sports -sky diving etc. About 6 years ago I was driving down the highway at about 70 mph when the hood of my car flipped up and smashed in to my windshield. Glass shattered all over and I struggled to maintain control of my vehicle in the ice and snow. I was fine, just some minor cuts and scratches and I avoided contact with all other cars. In total it lasted about 10 seconds but felt like an hour. I can still remember the smell and the taste of some of the particles from the hood that were in my mouth. Scared the shit out of me. aside: Have you ever noticed that time goes slowly in moments like that, when you are fully in the present moment? Conversely, time goes by quickly when you are "zoned out" or constantly in the state of mundane thought. Perhaps the key to a seemingly "long life" is to try and be present as much as possible.... without the need for an extreme situation. -Easier said than done, I think.
I think that the reason that time seems to go slowly at those times is the adrenaline. With it pumping through your brain, you think, and act faster. Survival instinct, I guess. Wouldn't be a nice way to live though. There's times when you want time to go fast.
It's definitely the adrenaline surge, combined with having the obligation to perform a task as the driver. I have been in several accidents and incidents on the highway but only experienced time dilation when I was the driver/rider and not the passenger.
Seems like a sound theory to me. After reading your piece about the trucks, it occurred to me that if racecar drivers have any hesitation or inkling of doubt, they're likely to become rickybobby-toast.
Ricky-Bobby running around on fire. best part of the movie. Ayrton Senna comes to mind, he did things with an F1 car that no one has matched. He was also bat-shit religious, but in a good way, he thought of himself as chosen, but kept fairly quiet about it. Along with that came no fear of death, to the point that his friends and family were concerned for him. Alain Prost tried to talk sense into him several times. The documentary "Senna" is on Netflix, good flick even for non-race fans. I have when riding at speed had stray moments of thought, that proved, sphincter-clenching. That's why I love riding, it forces you to be in the moment, and when I stop there is always that grin.