The Nascar Neck Brace
Once Dale Earnhardt Jr. smashed into the wall at Daytona, and it was discovered from the crash that a neck support may have saved his life, the authorities at Nascar made the following Neck Brace mandatory for all drivers in all Nascar Races.
John Melvin, former head of safety at General Motors and now a consultant to NASCAR teams, said there’s no foolproof way to make the sport safer. He has been testing a new six-point, seat belt system that might provide additional stability for the body.
“The nascar neck brace only works if the restraint system works,” he said. “There’s no single thing going to solve this. It’s going to be a combination of good things.”
Melvin also noted that the nascar neck brace is designed mainly for head-on impacts. Researchers are working on a device that would protect the head and neck when a car slams into a wall sideways.