Page 20 - KCRPCA Sept Oct 2018

TECH ARTICLE
20
Sep / Oct 2018
Karl Wilen
ing gear! For the majority of beginner students (groups 1 and 2), this rule is likely not going to apply, but I do see this applying to the upper levels 3,4 and instructor groups. The Porsche Club of America HPDE committee has adopted a new minimum standard for all PCA HPDE events in 2019.
If you utilize a 4/5/6 point harness sys- tem in your car, you will be required to also utilize a head and neck restraint sys- tem (HANS) as an additional safety item.
these head and neck restraints as HANS devices, so while “HANS Device” is an actual brand of head and neck restraint, the term HANS device also applies to other companies making head and neck restraint devices. Some might say, “But I’m not going fast enough to need one of those!” Studies have shown that head and neck injuries can occur at slow speeds of even 35mph, which is why the more safety equipment we can put in a car, the better.
Keep Your Head On Your Shoulders
HTANS DEVICE
ime to start preparing for that Now don’t get too excited about that 2019 HPDE and race season. You part, because I feel that is not going to be know...mostly because Christ- a huge issue, as we will talk about later.
mas time is a good time to ask for rac- For the sake of the article, I will refer to
Photo by Car & Driver
In addition, since PCA rules require the same safety gear for your passenger (in- structor, or instructor taking student), in theory, you technically would have to provide the right seat occupant a HANS device as well, assuming no instructors at the event had their own.
A head and neck device is a device that sits on your shoulders (or straps to your body such as the hybrid system made by Simpson) underneath your racing har- ness restraints, and then is attached to the helmet via a tether on each side of the helmet. There are a couple of dif-