By published accounts Roda was an accomplished driver who excelled in the amateur league, maybe that played a part in his mis judgement which costed his life. The CGT seems to be an unforgiving car on or off track, in 2007 2 passenger also died in an accident in Fontana race way and the car looked fairly intact and seems like a survivable crash.
Remember what Niki Lauda says about risk, which I am paraphrasing, is the risk you take worth what you get out of it?