The primary function of a Head and Neck Restraint is to prevent death from an injury called basilar skull injury. This type of injury can occur when your head and helmet are allowed to whip around in an accident. Frontal impacts are the most common but not always the only type of impact that causes severe or fatal injuries. Unrestricted side-to-side movement of your head inside a racecar can be just as lethal. Roll bar cages, steering wheels and flying objects in the car can all cause serious injuries.
The speeds you reach while racing is not the main concern when it comes to Head and Neck Restraints. It is the rate and time it takes to go from that speed to a stop: de-acceleration is the killer. Dale Earnhardt died of a basilar skull fracture and he hit the wall at Daytona going only 43 miles per hour! He had no head and neck restraint on. Don’t make that same mistake.
The SFI Foundation has made the SFI-38.1 their specification for Head and Neck Restraints. The attached photos show the different approved devices. Here is some information each of them:
Let’s start with the most well known, the HANS Device. It has probably got the most media coverage and most racers have heard of them. It has an excellent reputation when put to the test in accidents and on the sled-tests. On the frontal impact results the HANS performed as designed. At 35 mph a “crash dummy” was slammed into a wall and with no restraints the force on the neck was 1147 lbs. (Injury threshold is 899 lbs.) The next test was with the HANS installed. Same test and force on the neck was reduced to 195 lbs. Well below injury levels.
 The HANS device has received the most ink in the Head and Neck restraint business. A great working product that is secured by the shoulder harness, it works best in frontal impacts. |
The HANS Device information I received did not show any results from side impact tests. With the shoulder harness as the method to hold it in place it may not improve side impact protection very much. Their testing also was based on one impact. In racing accidents it is more usual for the impacts to be multiple. Crashes, such as rollovers after hitting a wall or vice versa. Or tumbling end-over-end and then side rolls. Nobody likes to paint that picture in their mind, but ignoring it isn’t smart either.
When I get a chance to test a HANS I will personally tell you about comfort and ease of use in a drag racing environment. Drag racers are in and out of the car a lot more than oval
track racers so ease of use is important to a degree. It looks like the HANS must be put on before you get into the car (especially a dragster) and hooking it up could be difficultwithout a crew to help. The shoulder harness is what holds the HANS Device in place. Can you turn your head once the HANS is in place and the harness on? Maybe, but it looks restrictive and that will be a hindrance to “finish-line driving” for drag racers who must be able to judge the finish line or I know they will wear it loose and that is incorrect. I will get my hands on a HANS early this year and let you know what I find out. There are several drag racers who use them and like them. Most are fast cars or run in Super classes where cars are close to side-by-side so “looking back” isn’t a major concern.
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 The latest version of the R3 has been slightly improved with Kevlar straps and improved harness retainers. Each unit comes with a 5/8" thick back pad that is cut out for the R3 to fit into. The R3 is attached to the driver and does not rely on the shoulder harness to hold it in place. |
Up next, the R3 Head and Neck Restraint from LFT Technologies. It has been most noticeable lately as the choice of John Force Racing. It is a different design as it stays with the driver and is not retained by the safety harness. The advantage there is if the harness stretches and loosens in a crash the R3 is still holding your helmet and head in place. If the harness becomes loose with a HANS there is nothing left to hold it to your body.
The R3 can be used in a couple ways that seem user-friendly for drag racing. It can be mounted in the car so when you sit down it is ready for you to buckle up and attach the helmet tethers. The R3 comes with a 5/8” thick seat pad that is cut out for the R3 so it will not feel like a lump in the center of your back. You can also carry it separate and put it on before you enter the car. Either way, you can hook it to the helmet after you are in the car with the Quick Release attachments. I tried one of these on and it is very easy to use. The R3 is held to your body by its own harness and will help keep your head and neck stable even if there are multiple impacts.
