The History of the HANS Device

The HANS device is a Head And Neck Support device that had been around for two decades prior to February 18, 2001. However, that was the day more people began talking about it. Legendary NASCAR Winston Cup driver Dale Earnhardt died on the last lap of the Daytona 500 because of a basilar skull fracture. Robert Hubbard, the designer of the HANS device, was shocked by the attention he received following this. Sadly, the creation of the HANS device began with another race car driver's death 20 years earlier.

Beginnings

Robert Hubbard did his Ph.D thesis and research on the mechanical properties of skull bones. It was at the University of Michigan Highway Safety Research Institute. This included learning the technicalities involving head injuries during car crashes. He worked with a group for GM in 1971 that created injury evaluation technology. The Hybrid III crash test dummy was a major advancement achieved by the group. Hubbard created and implemented the head and other parts of it. This work continued until 1977.

Concept

It was 1981 when Hubbard was approached by his race car driver brother-in-law, Jim Downing, about designing a safety device for the heads of race car drivers. This was because of the death of Patrick Jacquemart, who had died during a test session at Mid-Ohio. He was restrained in the torso area, but his head was not. Downing was a friend of Jacquemart and learned that he had died from a fracture of the base of his skull. This is now known as a "basilar skull fracture." Hubbard liked racing and had been part of Downing's pit crew. He used the knowledge he learned from working in the GM group to come up with the idea of the HANS device.

Design

The original patent for the HANS device was filed in 1985, and the patent was issued in 1987. Hubbard worked at Michigan State University at the time. He worked on the design using his own money until he received a grant for small business development to create the first HANS device prototype. The initial test was done in 1989 with Paul Begeman and others at Wayne State University. This was the first safety equipment testing using crash sleds conducted for racing in the U.S.A.

Company

The HANS device was proven effective, but was not considered necessary because there were only a few deaths a year caused from basilar skull fractures. Hubbard and Jim Downing could not find an equipment supplier to market it, so they created Hubbard/Downing Inc. They began creating and selling it in 1990. The only marketing they did for the HANS device was having Downing wear the device during his races. It was discussed, but not widely accepted at this time. These original HANS devices were created in the back room of the race shop used by Downing.

Acceptance

GM began a motor sports safety program in 1992. It included testing of the HANS device and other details about crashes. In 1995, Ford helped with financing and further research. In 1997, Mercedes-Benz contacted Hubbard and began a two-year development of the basic and existing HANS design. Two CART drivers died in 1999 from basilar skull fractures. The HANS device became mandatory in CART racing in 2000. NASCAR lost three Winston Cup drivers in 2000 also. The car companies paid for safety lectures and offered free HANS devices to any driver that wanted it at the Daytona 500 in 2001, but only eight drivers wore it during the race.

Significance

Following the death of Dale Earnhardt in February 2001, the importance of the HANS device was discussed in detail. Hubbard made many appearances and gave several interviews about it. He noted that there had been about 250 total HANS devices purchased throughout the 1990s; this is about the identical amount bought during the week after Earnhardt's death. NASCAR permitted its use then, but did not require it until 2005. More than 35 racing series now mandate the HANS device. The present HANS device used by racecar drivers is the outcome of more than 100 different prototypes designed prior.

Resources

• HANS Device