Obviously, the recent rollover has spiked interest in cages and upgraded safety features....so, is your safety equipment up to code....and more importantly, do you have the correct configuration?
__________________________________________________ _______________
If you are running the bare minimum safety requirements for a roll cage for dirt events....(Minimum acceptable protection is (1) bar behind the driver placed from one side to the other to prevent the car from crushing the driver in an impact.)...
You should have a 4 point harness installed.
-> The roof will cave in upon a rollover, however with a 4 point harness, the driver should be able to slide down/lower themselves to prevent serious injury.
__________________________________________________ _______________
If you are running a FULL roll cage or at least a 4 point recommended roll cage...(One hoop behind seat, extending higher than driver's head, and one door bar on driver side recommended.)...
You should have a 5 point harness installed.
-> The roll cage should prevent the car from crushing the driver/compartment, therefore you will want to afford maximum protection by anchoring yourself to the cage.
__________________________________________________ _______________
If you are extending any roll cage bars above the driver's head....
You should have adequate clearance between the driver's head with helmet and the roof/top of the bars above the driver's head.
-> If the car rolls over, the weight of the car/impact will crush the roof down as far as possible before the reinforcement withstands the load. You want at least 1-2 inches between the driver's head and the roof/top of the bars to allow for some give in the cage. Less than 1 inch can prove fatal if the driver's head is locked in place and a +1,000 lb load is being forced upon it.
__________________________________________________ _______________
Drivers should be wearing approved helmets. Bring your helmet to the tech area for our inspector to look it over for you. Damage and scuffs marks are two very different things to worry about. A cracked helmet should not be worn, however one with just paint scratches may potentially still be used.
-> If you have an open faced helmet, an outdated motorcycle helmet or something of a sub-par safety standard... UPGRADE. In 2009, there are no mandatory Snell ratings or distinct rules against running these types of helmets, this will change for the better in 2010...but not in a way that will hurt your pockets.
__________________________________________________ _______________
As always, NEETS is focused on safety. We want to afford maximum safety while not mandating expensive equipment. We will work out a set of safety-centered rules at our rules meeting to guide new drivers in the right direction......for example, someone might spend a fortune on a great helmet and cut corners on the roll cage....fixing one problem doesn't mean others will go away.
Bookmarks