Medicine & Science
The Evolution of the HANS Device
Is HANS New Technology?
The HANS device has been around for nearly 8 years now. I've used it as a prescription device for driver's with neck injuries, some of which have had surgery on their necks but have still wanted to return to racing. The HANS device has been very effective in preventing recurring injuries. Events have occurred over the past three years that have renewed our interest in the potential of the HANS device as becoming a more widely used safety system in motor sports.
What Has Changed With HANS?
The HANS device has always been a very effective and desirable safety device. In the past it was bulky and simply would not fit into most single seater racecars, especially of the open wheeled variety. Over the past three years HANS has slimmed down and has been modified to fit into the more confined cockpits of open wheeled racecars. Currently, it's newer slimmed down configuration has been extensively tested and has been found to be just as effective as its former beefier self. Pictured below are three models of the HANS device, starting with the earliest model (left) to the latest model (right).
The other thing that has changed is the evolving pattern of injuries to a racecar driver. Over the last ten years the tubs of most racecars have improved on reducing the frequency and severity of extreme injuries and exposing a trend toward more severe and potentially fatal injuries involving the head and neck areas. In the past two years there have been five racing fatalities that we strongly believe could have been prevented had the driver been wearing a HANS device at the time of the inncident.