savyboy

A horrible crash happened in Europe which reportedly claimed the life of the GT2RS driver due to a broken neck. From the photos it looks like the car spun into the Armco and then into the gravel trap where it tripped and began to roll with enough force to break off three corners of the car.

My sincerest condolences to all involved. Friends, family, and rescue crew.

This is a link to the photos: http://www.aktivnews.de/z_einsatzbil...php?album=1070

I bring this up in the desire to learn and consider if there are ways we can all be more safe while still fully experiencing the thrill and joy of driving cars close to their limits.

Recently I moved from a HANS to the Issac Device and now to the Safety Solutions Hutchens Hybrid Pro Device (http://www.safetysolutionsracing.com...ybrid-pro.html) which I really like. It cannot be worn with stock 3 point belts and does need a 4/5/6 point harness to work and it also offers lateral protection that a HANS does not.

SCCA has recently noted: "Beginning January 1, 2012, Head and Neck restraints will become mandatory in SCCA Club Racing Regional, National and Driver School events. In December 2009, the Board of Directors approved the motion to require a device meeting SFI 38.1 or FIA 8858 specifications, and the announcement appeared in the January 2010 Fastrack® News."

Many of you know I have always been an advocate of learning from my own and others experiences and to always use safety equiment. May we all use this wholly unfortunate experience of another to cause us to reflect on our own lives and actions as we pursue our own automotive passion.

Serge944

I've been putting this off for too long... Going to get a HANS before I hit the track again next season.

Laguna_Dude

I agree. Especially those in street cars going 80% as fast a a race car with minimal safety equipment. That was a big reason for switching to a full race car. So sad.

aussie jimmy

sobering.

RS 987

This is a wake up call for me with my street car. I will add a roll cage and new seats with harness (at the minimum before my next track day)

early_grayce

+1
very sad.... rip.

savyboy

I would take this opportunity to point out that a HANS offers no protection in a lateral impact. If you go sideways into something hard, your HANS is useless. This is why race cars usually have winged seats at the head area, called a "halo seat". And a HANS cannot be used without a harness. This is why I switched to the Hybrid Pro. I can wear it in a stock car with a student and in my track car with harness and it gives me excellent lateral-hit protection.

BTW- trying to add a halo-seat to a street legal car is illegal (eliminates side visibility for lane changes) and creates it's own problems of egress in the case of a crash. Just not practical or safe in a street car. I tried twice to fit one to my stripped track car and it wound up being a nighmare and I removed it.

The car in this crash held up remarkably well. The cabin area is in very good condition. A good possibility that initial hit to the Armco, on the side of the car, is what caused the neck injury. If not, the snap-rotation of the subsequent roll may very well have. Use of a device such as the Hutchins Hybrid Pro would have offered protection in this situation of OE belt and no harnesses.

Nick Wong

Hmm. I've used a HANS device since 2003. Swapped the QR tether to a sliding one last year.

I'm not convinced on the data of the HANS vs. Hutchins. That seems mostly manufacturer vs. manufacturer propaganda. I'm sure either will be sufficient in 90% of the accidents.

These devices are not silver bullets- they don't make you invincible. If you're in a street car, drive within your limits. If you're in a tin top race car, use a halo seat. F1 doesn't use halos but use HANS. Food for thought.

mklaskin

In fact, F1 really has pioneering Halo technology. Familiar with those U-shaped pieces the drivers remove before the exit the car?



There you have it.

MGR-GT3

This is why i don't consider the GT3 a track car. By the time you are done making it handle, be safe and competitive, you realize that you should have bought a CUP. Anything else is just a compromise that every now and then has bad consequences.

My condolences to all affected and everyone else, please be safe.

MGR

Backmarker

Scary

My last CEO is a major multi-millionare and would track his 997 turbo S with zero safety equipment, this news made me think of him (you reading this Lars?!). I told him to stop F'ing around and either buy a cup, rent one, or heck build a full track car

Safety items should be top must haves for those of us lucky enough to afford GT porsches, my first mod was new harnesses and a sub bar

Mvez

Big supporter of the Hybrid.

Nick Wong

Sorry, since I don't know the engineering behind that item nor do I have any direct knowledge I'll keep my assumptions to myself. The series I've been racing off and on for the last 8 years doesn't mandate anything beyond an archaic foam neck collar, and all the fastest classes don't even use them.

mdrums

Savy, I've been wearing the R3 Hybrid for a year now. I come across some students that make me wonder why I instruct sometimes. I always felt the R3 gave me better protection than a Hans.

Be sure to put something on the screws on the back of the R3 where the tether connects. Those screws will scratch up your leather seat

911rox

Sad end to what would otherwise have been a great day at the track...

Savy, thanks for posting about the hybrid pro... Going to look into it as an alternative considering I don't run harnesses for the moment thus ruling out HANS as an option...