Interesting stuff on track safety (3 Viewers)

[Mike]

President of HANS comments on track safety: Jim Downing, the former sports car driver and principal of the HANS device (head and neck support) said that short tracks and drag strips are deficient due to "lack of proper safety equipment." Downing, president of HANS Performance Products (owned by Simpson Performance Products) said, at the IMIS Safety and Technical Conference in Indianapolis that driver fatalities on those tracks have been increasing because those types of tracks lack the safety equipment required at the bigger ovals. Downing based his opinion on a Charlotte Observer study titled "Death at the Track," in the years 1991 to 2001 the total number of driver deaths from crashes was 144. During the ten-year period after Earnhardt's death, the total rose to 171, an alarming increase of 27 driver fatalities due to racing accidents. Part of the problem, Downing opined, was due to the fact that these type of local tracks are not televised so that news of injuries or fatalities don't make it into the mainstream media. The safety needs to improve on short ovals and on drag strips where weekend warriors are participating and where the most deaths are occurring, said Downing. Of the 171 deaths during the years 2001 to 2011, 126 occurred on these types of tracks. SAFER barriers may not be feasible, said Downing, but his presentation documented that 34 of the deaths involved the type of head and neck injuries prevented by Head and Neck Restraints

 

[MM]

I am always hesitant to support a study like this, one that is merely critical of the current state of affairs without offering a viable solution of how to fix it.

 

[Mike]

Mike, the writer also has a lot to gain with the sales of HANS device but there is still a lot of truth in what he says.

 

[yoda]

I wonder if any of those 34 Head and Neck incidents would have also been prevented with a simple doughnut device... A lot of the bracket crashes are reported on YB- and most bracket racers run with just a helmet (no additional H&NR or doughnut collar), so odds are, the injuries could be substancially reduced with something a bit less cost-prohibitive than an $800 HANS- say, like a $50 collar.

 

[yoda]

Downing "said that short tracks and drag strips are deficient due to "lack of proper safety equipment."

Is it the race tracks that are deficient, or is it the racers themselves?

Most tracks are well staffed with emergency crew, have moved away from Armaco and have good shutdown areas and sand pits. Seems that the catastrophic incidents come when the car gets over-driven and the driver stays with it too long. Where exactly might that be the track's fault?

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

While we are on safety, why is it that our very expensive fire suits can't protect drivers from burns, when only exposed to fire for a few seconds??:

 

[Jeff]

The HANs type devices limit the motion of your head when your body comes to a sudden stop. Your body's momentum is restrained by multiple 3 inch wide seatbelt straps ... but your head, with the additional weight of a helmet has huge amount of energy and all of the energy must be absorbed by your neck when your body stops moving forward. The little donut does next to nothing. The donut is mainly there to help stop the fire's heat, maybe some compression .. compare one to the hardness of some SFI 45.1 roll bar padding sometime (albeit some of that, after aging is really too hard). Safety Solutions neck collars are pretty stiff but I have pillows harder than most of them. Nowadays the neck collar is not there to support the neck .... and unfortunately it never really did a good job in a sudden stop.

The fire suits do a great job of stopping fire, particularly the /10 and /15 versions ... but the suits are multiple pieces and the gloves have to serve multiple rolls. There are always areas where prolonged heat can pass through. Particularly when there are low pressure air pockets on the other side.

Sorry but I'm not sure I follow your gripe. Maybe you just think everyone else should do a better job.

 

[sdwarf36]

I wonder if any of those 34 Head and Neck incidents would have also been prevented with a simple doughnut device... A lot of the bracket crashes are reported on YB- and most bracket racers run with just a helmet (no additional H&NR or doughnut collar), so odds are, the injuries could be substancially reduced with something a bit less cost-prohibitive than an $800 HANS- say, like a $50 collar.

1st off-a Hans (or most of the other brands) go for $600-if you want a carbon fiber one they are more. And foam neck collars are pretty much worthless.(the only SFI rating on them is for fireproofness.) And I know there are plenty of racers that would argue about buying one-but would think nothing of spending $600 on a weather station-or a throttle stop-or a self homing antenna for their big screen tv in their toter home.
Like the old Bell helmet ad-" $10 helmet for a $10 dollar head."
Even if you had a track lined both sides with Safer barrier, you could still have an accident like Allen/Koresky in 2005. Do-do happens.
My life + the abilty to walk is worth a $600 device to help improve my chances.

 

[Walter]

Downing "said that short tracks and drag strips are deficient due to "lack of proper safety equipment."

Is it the race tracks that are deficient, or is it the racers themselves?

Most tracks are well staffed with emergency crew, have moved away from Armaco and have good shutdown areas and sand pits. Seems that the catastrophic incidents come when the car gets over-driven and the driver stays with it too long. Where exactly might that be the track's fault?

A good road engineer designs a road and its safety features anticipating that some drivers will speed, make mistakes, and otherwise perhaps do some stupid things...because that is what happens.

A good track designer and operator should do the same thing.

 

[stitcherbob]

Here is the database on that study...

If you click on track type it puts all of the drag race incidents in one group

Database: Death at the Track | www.thatsracin.com

 

[Speed1288]

1st off-a Hans (or most of the other brands) go for $600-if you want a carbon fiber one they are more. And foam neck collars are pretty much worthless.(the only SFI rating on them is for fireproofness.) And I know there are plenty of racers that would argue about buying one-but would think nothing of spending $600 on a weather station-or a throttle stop-or a self homing antenna for their big screen tv in their toter home.
Like the old Bell helmet ad-" $10 helmet for a $10 dollar head."
Even if you had a track lined both sides with Safer barrier, you could still have an accident like Allen/Koresky in 2005. Do-do happens.
My life + the abilty to walk is worth a $600 device to help improve my chances.

Pretty much nailed it. If it was a $600 piece of equipment that made you go faster most people wouldn't even think twice and would have it as soon as they could.

 

[Mooseman]

While we are on safety, why is it that our very expensive fire suits can't protect drivers from burns, when only exposed to fire for a few seconds??:

Never worn a fire suit before but have welded a few things and then held the just welded piece (with gloves on of course). Fire protection of any kind may help to stop burns but your sweat boiling is no fun either.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

I was not there, but on TV, Antrons fire didn't look that big, and didn't last long, yet he was all burned up.

 

[Gordon]

A good road engineer designs a road and its safety features anticipating that some drivers will speed, make mistakes, and otherwise perhaps do some stupid things...because that is what happens.

A good track designer and operator should do the same thing.

I'm not saying roads and/or racetracks shouldn't be designed to be reasonably safe given their anticipated use, but human beings, including racers, have got to at some point accept the bad things that go along with making poor decisions. It's not the governing bodies responsibility to create a bubble for everyone - public roads are designed with an expectation that people will do the right thing - not speed, not do stupid things, etc.

As for racers, they accept a certain level of risk each time they step on the pedal, and they have a choice - if they don't like the design of the track, don't race. If a racer makes a conscious decision to NOT wear a HANS device and suffers a severe neck injury, or worse, then they have to live (hopefully) with that decision.

Again, I'm not suggesting that certain safety designs shouldn't be utilized wherever possible, I'm merely stating that people have the ability to make choices on their own and I get very tired of governing officials trying to legislate my decision making processes for me.

 

[yoda]

So, everyone going down a track should have a HANS on?

 

[Gordon]

So, everyone going down a track should have a HANS on?

Martin, if this question is directed at me I'd ask you to reread what I wrote. I'm saying unequivocally that it's the driver's choice.

If your question isn't directed at me, then disregard.

 

[yoda]

Nope Gordon- I am in complete agreement. There are basic rules to keep everyone that straps in safe, and then there are high priced items that are available as options. I'd say that if you can make a decision, its your ass on the line.
Give me a truly affordable HANS and I'll be the first person to vote for its widespread use, on everyone that has to put on a brain bucket to go down the track.

 

[MM]

Nope Gordon- I am in complete agreement. There are basic rules to keep everyone that straps in safe, and then there are high priced items that are available as options. I'd say that if you can make a decision, its your ass on the line.
Give me a truly affordable HANS and I'll be the first person to vote for its widespread use, on everyone that has to put on a brain bucket to go down the track.

How do you define affordable Martin? You can get a HANS for around $600. That's a lot cheaper than some of the other equipment that is required to be on a car. Personally, I don't want something cheap protecting my squash at 240 mph. My personal belief is that a HANS should be required for any car that exceeds 150 mph and all Jr. Dragster racers. Again, just my opinion.

 

[yoda]

And just as I say it, look what I found:

::rag Racing Online::: Agent 1320 - 12/10/12

(Scroll down to the last story)

"HANS Performance Products has announced a price reduction for its Super Small Sport HANS Device, which was developed for young racers. The price will be reduced to $399. "

Now THAT'S affordable, MM...

Now, I wish that someone could just give me the future winning Powerball numbers...

 

[JF]

So, everyone going down a track should have a HANS on?

To answer your question:

To understand how people get hurt in a crashes you need to understand
some physics.

Kinetic energy = energy of motion.
KE = (1/2)mv2 - which means:
The more massive an object the greater the KE, Double the mass and you double the KE.
The faster an object moves the greater the KE, Double the velocity and you quadruple the KE.
This is the more significant factor in determining the severity of injury.

Law of inertia – a body at rest will remain at rest, and a body in motion will
remain in motion, unless acted upon by an outside force.

Acceleration – rate at which a body’s velocity is increasing.
Greater accelerations mean greater forces acting on a body.
Deceleration – rate at which a body’s velocity is decreasing.

Trauma
Usually the result of two bodies colliding.
Bodies are injured due to:

The dissipation of the KE:
When two bodies collide, the kinetic energy is converted into other forms
of energy causing:
Deformation of bone and soft tissue.
Compression, shear, and torsion forces to act on organs and other bodily structures often causing tears and ruptures of organs and supporting structures.

Sudden decelerations – the body suddenly stops, but due to the law of inertia the organs and support structures inside the body keep moving and collide with the inside of body cavities.

Energy travels in a straight line unless it meets and is deflected by some kind of
interference.
Curves in bones, an organ caught between two hard objects, or a tissue stretched beyond its limits are all possible interruptions in the body.

Mechanisms of Injury (MOI)
MOI refers to how a person was injured.
Trauma is usually the cause of the collision of two or bodies. Exceptions - blast
injuries caused by pressure waves, burns, etc.

Common MOI’s
Motor vehicle accidents (MVA) (cause of 1/3 of all deaths)
Vehicle vs vehicle
Vehicle vs pedestrian
Vehicle collisions
There are 3 impacts during a collision.
Vehicle collisions – vehicle is suddenly stopped and deformed.
Patient collision – patient continues moving until it strikes something within the vehicle.
Organ collision – organs suspended within the body slosh around and collide with other body parts.

So The answer is YES you should wear a Hans at any speed.

Although I will admit. I owned one and never wore it. MY Choice! But to answer the question YOU SHOULD WEAR ONE AT ANY SPEED IN ANY CAR STREET OR STRIP. IT'S JUST NOT PRACTICAL TO DO SO.

And just for the record I do have a Emergency Medical Degree from George Washington University.