The HANS device is a head and neck support system designed to protect drivers from injury in high-speed collisions. It was created in the 1980s to prevent skull fractures and other injuries. The device is made up of a shoulder support, helmet anchors, and straps, and is now required driver’s equipment on most professional auto racing circuits.
A HANS device is a head and neck support system used to protect drivers from injury in high-risk situations. The system uses a pair of carbon fiber straps attached to a shoulder support system to help prevent the head and neck from snapping forward during a high-speed collision. HANS devices are most commonly used by race car drivers, but are also used in performance boating and other racing sports. The restrictions are credited with preventing head injuries in several accidents since 2003.
The HANS device was designed in the 1980s to address the problem of race car driver fatalities in high-speed accidents. While safety features such as roll cages, hard hats, and seat belts offered some protection against crashes, drivers were still injured or killed during high-speed head-on collisions. In many of these accidents, seat restraints would hold the driver in place, but the momentum would violently slam the driver’s head forward, producing neck and skull trauma. Several fatal accidents occurred as a result of Basilar skull fractures during various auto racing events.
To deal with skull fractures and other injuries, biomechanical engineering professor Robert Hubbard designed the HANS device to prevent the head and neck from moving forward during an accident while preserving the mobility of the driver’s head and field of vision. vision. The device is made up of three main components: a shoulder support, helmet anchors and straps, which hold the helmet to the support. The driver’s helmet must be attached to the shoulder area, not to the seat or other areas of the car. In the event of a crash, the straps prevent the head from snapping forward and moving too fast while the rest of the body remains in place. The device is made in various sizes to provide comfort and safety for different body types.
The HANS device was approved for use for several years before being widely mandated by major racing governing bodies. Many race car drivers were reluctant to use the HANS device, considering it uncomfortable and could compromise safety in other areas. Adoption was slow until the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. and several other professional Basilar skull fracture racers in the early 21st century. As of 2011, HANS devices are now required driver’s equipment on most professional auto racing circuits and have been credited with saving drivers’ lives in various high-speed collisions.
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