Safety and Racing

One fact, though unfortunate, that every racecar driver must face, is the fact that they are at a high risk of becoming seriously injured on the job. This is mainly because of the high-speeds attained while racing such powerful vehicles. Because of this reality, race officials, along with drivers, teams, and safety personnel, have started to look at ways of preventing said injuries. One area that has been under a great deal of improvement during the last few years looks into ways to protect a driver's back and neck. In this area alone, several safety devices have been created, many of which are now finding their way into the sport, in turn making it safer.

One such device is the HANS device. Acronymically named, the device, which stands for "Head and Neck Support", has now been made mandatory in several racing organizations as an effort to prevent future fatalities during racing events. It was Jim Downing, a former IMSA driver, and his brother-in-law, Dr. Robert Hubbard, a professor of engineering at Michigan State University, who developed the device. Their efforts were not in vain. The device dramatically reduces the chance of sustaining a serious injury caused by the unrestrained movement of the head during a crash.

Physically, the HANS device consists of a semi-hard collar, which is made from a mix of carbon fibre and Kevlar. This is held to the upper body by a harness, which is worn by the driver. Then, two flexible tethers are attached from the collar to the helmet, preventing the head from rapidly moving forward or to the side during the impact of a crash.

A great deal of speculation has been made as to whether or not the use of the HANS device, or a similar safety device, would have saved the lives of several drivers who met with head on collisions with a retaining wall. Most people do believe, however, that if the devices had been made mandatory at an earlier date, many lives could have been saved. This may in fact be true, because without the use of a HANS-like device, a driver's head is left unsecured, while his body remains strapped to the seat. This combination, along with the right angle of impact, is likely to result in a base-line fracture of the skull.

Since the recent publicity of the device, programs have been put together by such big-name companies as Ford, whose aim is to make sure that every racecar driver receives one of these lifesaving devices. The programs, which are set up to help the low-budget race teams, bring the safety device to those unable to afford it because of its large price tag. Any driver may request a free HANS device, and in return will receive the restraint that just might end up saving their life in the future.

It will never be known for certain if the sooner use of such a device would have saved any lives, but what is known is the fact the device could have saved lives. As the racing becomes faster, the danger to the driver increases. With this increased risk, comes the increased possibility for serious injuries and even death. Everyone in the industry needs to work together to overcome, or at least, reduce this problem by implementing new safety measures, such as the HANS device, to help prevent driver injury.