Hutchens Device Fails Again!

A number of people have asked if Sterling Marlin was wearing a head and neck restraint system since he suffered a broken vertebrae in last Sundays accident at Kansas. Marlin has worn the Hutchens Device for the entire 2002 Winston Cup season with the exception of the second Dover race.

After Marlins September accident in Richmond he decided to test the HANS Device, doing so at Kentucky Speedway. Marlin then switched to the HANS for the Dover race, but decided to go back to the Hutchens product since the HANS was uncomfortable on his chest.

This is the second serious head or neck injury this year sustained by a Winston Cup driver who was wearing the Hutchens Device. The first injury, which was covered up at the time, was suffered by Dale Earnhardt Jr. when he wrecked earlier this year. Earnhardt Jr. recently announced he received a concussion while wearing the Hutchens, but covered up the injury, much to the dismay of NASCAR, to avoid losing his ride.

But the most critical head and neck injury suffered by a person wearing the Hutchens Device was Jason Priestley. Priestley’s injuries were devastating. A broken nose, neck, skull and concussion caused by the Hutchens Device failing to prevent his head from impacting the steering wheel and a sheered artery reportedly caused by an attachment strap of the Hutchens Device.

 

Who's to say that all of these drivers wouldn't be dead if it wasn't for the device? Do you race? And wear one of these devices? Do you know how it feels to have one on? Priestley hit a wall, head on, at over 180 mph. In previous years, before these devices, you wouldn't have expected him to be alive. Not only is he alive, but will not require any major major surgery to fully recover. That in itself is a miracle, and in my book, a testament to the device. The device cannot help you when pieces of the car come up to meet your face, and it's not made to work 100% when you have two back to back impacts, as in his case (outer wall then inner wall). I'm sure the retaining straps were loose after the first impact and could have contributed to the injuries/strap injuries that occurred, while at the same time saving his life.
My opinion is that any device used, is better than none. And although some devices may(or may not) be better than others, the Hutchen's device has been tested(pre-production) and proven to reduce injury, in many many cases, in multiple series.


[Modified by XR4racer, 5:35 PM 10/3/2002]

 

That's like saying Airbags are bad because they give people black eyes and flash burns on the face.

Suprdave

 

ud have to test similar conditions on a test dummy with and without device. I was under the impression they had, and that it did improve safety

 

The Hutchens Device may test OK in a laboratory, but its straps leave too much to chance as far as adjustments and movements go. Perhaps the IRL and NASCAR will wake up to the fact that the HANS Device is the best thing going right now. CART, and next year F1, mandate the HANS only.

 

Screw mandated safety devices... not that I'm against the devices, just all the damn rules and laws.

 

That makes no sense. Please explain what you mean. Adjustments should be done ahead of race time... If not setup properly, any device can fail.

There are certain types of driving/seating positions/restraint systems that allow certain devices to work better, in those conditions.

You still didn't answer my questions.
You have decided to pick the most affordable device, the only option to many grassroots racers, to proclaim as a Failure. To me, it's only a failure if users are dying from head and neck over-extension, which is what this device is designed to prevent. Can you give me a case or two where this has occurred? Have you ever suffered a neck injury and are you familiar with the injury itself that this device was designed to prevent?? What is YOUR experience?? What validates you to proclaim this? Where are you getting your info?

I'm not trying to be a dick. This debate is going on, and has been going on in the racing world for quite some time, but the fact of the matter is, no matter how many people are injured with the device on, you can never say it wouldn't have been worse without it. The device has been tested time and time again with crash test dummies, and it is proven to work.
Yes, I've been injured without the device.
Yes, I've seen test results.
Yes, I now wear one of these devices.
Yes, someday I may wear a different device, but I will always wear something.
I think that if a racer is gonna wear a restraint harness, suit, gloves, helmet, roll cage, then he should choose and wear one of these devices, and if you can only afford the cheapest one, I can guarantee you are still more protected than the guys with nothing.

 

But you did not answer his question. Would the drivershave surivied if he was not wearing the hutchins device? There have been lots of guys in nascar taking hard hits in the walll and I know that some of them have been wearing a Hutchins device and they are fine.

 

This reminds me of that post proclaiming that you will die if you try to use 195/50/15 tires on a Civic because the guy had a friend who blew out a tire on the street.

The world is a dangerous place and anything can kill you at any time.

 

I saw the Marlin carsh, it scared me and I was on my comfy sofa. He walked away and was mowing the yard when he found out he had a cracked vertebra.

Seems to me the safety equipment worked just fine!

Scott

 

Again, there are too many people, making statements about the device, who don't know what the device is designed to do.

 

I personally get tired of seeing all these "cut-and-paste" posts.