Inventor of HANS Racing Device Dies

Dr. Robert Hubbard, who invented the HANS (head and neck support) device for race car drivers, died this week at the age of 75.

Hubbard designed the system, which tethers a driver’s head to a raised collar to help prevent whiplash and other severe head injuries during accidents, in the 1980s. The idea came from Hubbard’s brother-in-law Jim Downing, who competed in the IMSA race series, after fellow driver Patrick Jaquemart died from a skull fracture after his car crashed.
 

Hubbard and Downing formed a company to produce the safety system, but sales were minimal for the first 10 years. Usage began to increase after several other drivers died from head injuries, including NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. in 2001. Most race series, including CART, Formula One, NASCAR and NHRA, now mandate the use of HANS or similar devices.

Hubbard, who held a doctorate in the mechanical properties of skull bone, was a professor of biomechanical engineering at Michigan State University. He also had worked for General Motors Co., where he researched injuries and data from crash dummies.