| One fact, though unfortunate, that every racecar | | | | whether or not the use of the HANS device, or a |
| driver must face, is the fact that they are at a high | | | | similar safety device, would have saved the lives of |
| risk of becoming seriously injured on the job. This is | | | | several drivers who met with head on collisions with |
| mainly because of the high-speeds attained while | | | | a retaining wall. Most people do believe, however, |
| racing such powerful vehicles. Because of this reality, | | | | that if the devices had been made mandatory at an |
| race officials, along with drivers, teams, and safety | | | | earlier date, many lives could have been saved. This |
| personnel, have started to look at ways of | | | | may in fact be true, because without the use of a |
| preventing said injuries. One area that has been under | | | | HANS-like device, a driver's head is left unsecured, |
| a great deal of improvement during the last few | | | | while his body remains strapped to the seat. This |
| years looks into ways to protect a driver's back and | | | | combination, along with the right angle of impact, is |
| neck. In this area alone, several safety devices have | | | | likely to result in a base-line fracture of the skull. |
| been created, many of which are now finding their | | | | Since the recent publicity of the device, programs |
| way into the sport, in turn making it safer. | | | | have been put together by such big-name companies |
| One such device is the HANS device. Acronymically | | | | as Ford, whose aim is to make sure that every |
| named, the device, which stands for "Head and Neck | | | | racecar driver receives one of these lifesaving |
| Support", has now been made mandatory in several | | | | devices. The programs, which are set up to help the |
| racing organizations as an effort to prevent future | | | | low-budget race teams, bring the safety device to |
| fatalities during racing events. It was Jim Downing, a | | | | those unable to afford it because of its large price |
| former IMSA driver, and his brother-in-law, Dr. Robert | | | | tag. Any driver may request a free HANS device, |
| Hubbard, a professor of engineering at Michigan State | | | | and in return will receive the restraint that just might |
| University, who developed the device. Their efforts | | | | end up saving their life in the future. |
| were not in vain. The device dramatically reduces the | | | | It will never be known for certain if the sooner use |
| chance of sustaining a serious injury caused by the | | | | of such a device would have saved any lives, but |
| unrestrained movement of the head during a crash. | | | | what is known is the fact the device could have |
| Physically, the HANS device consists of a semi-hard | | | | saved lives. As the racing becomes faster, the |
| collar, which is made from a mix of carbon fibre and | | | | danger to the driver increases. With this increased |
| Kevlar. This is held to the upper body by a harness, | | | | risk, comes the increased possibility for serious |
| which is worn by the driver. Then, two flexible | | | | injuries and even death. Everyone in the industry |
| tethers are attached from the collar to the helmet, | | | | needs to work together to overcome, or at least, |
| preventing the head from rapidly moving forward or | | | | reduce this problem by implementing new safety |
| to the side during the impact of a crash. | | | | measures, such as the HANS device, to help prevent |
| A great deal of speculation has been made as to | | | | driver injury. |