Trying to see what's possible for making a 5g safer on the roads. Car has no airbags, so I'm trying to do what I can on other fronts.

I'm doing some reading on other sites now and if I find anything interesting I'll share it here, but I wanted to see what people have done with these models in particular, and what the consensus was on harnesses on the street (is it possible to set them up correctly and safely for street use?) I do know there are many FIA approved harnesses.

Does anyone know what would satisfy as road legal, and street safe? Something that would be an improvement over the factory restraint system? I know running a full cage in a street car is a bad idea, but was wondering if a half cage (rear) or properly welded harness bar would yield positive results.

 

The problem with harnesses is that in a heavy deceleration event they keep your torso upright. This is an issue as your head is not restrained while driving on the street. With your torso upright and your head rotating down and being pulled forward, there is the chance of a basilar skull fracture.

Three point belts are probably more ingenious that the original creator intended. Under deceleration, they allow the torso to rotate forward. This does two things. It extends the time of deceleration, thus putting a lower peak g-load on your neck, and two, it creates a more favorable angle between your neck and the base of your skull. Both of which reduce the chance of serious injury.

Head and neck restraints were developed to keep the angle of your head more upright as well as remove most of the force through your neck and base of skull to the straps attached to the helmet.

Schroth, and maybe others, make harnesses specifically for street use. They have a section of bunched up or looped webbing with a weak connection. This allows the harness to be tightened for normal driving, keeping you firmy in the seat, but the connection will break under heavy load. This allows your torso to rotate forward, putting you into the same or similar position that a three point belt allows, reducing the chance of injury.

Any cage or roll bar installed in a street car becomes dangerous if your head can contact any portion of it in an accident.

 

What does your local constable say about this?
There are laws in your state of Texas.

 

This rather minor accident should be all you need to see

 

Safety is relative and subjective and personal. People have different comfort levels of what is "safe".

A 5pt harness, roll bar/cage, and bucket seat is a system and anything less is a broken system.

What is "lawful", it doesnt really matter in california, as long as you have a harness or seat belt on, from personal and anecdotal experience there no enforcement of harnesses being unacceptable. (but they can ticket you for NOT wearing your seatbelt, even as a backseat passenger).

nowadays, the level of whats "safe" on track with a helmet is a HANS device. nobody can race without one, i believe.

but OP is asking about using this on the street.... which no helmet would be worn. theres no firm answer. see first statement. i recommend my second statement as a personal opinion.

it becomes a circular argument, and ends up to whatever you personally feel is "safe".

 

Stock 3 point belt on the street, for sure.

 

Texas has no laws regarding the use of a harness and roll bar on the street. A 4, 5, or 6 point will pass inspection just like the stock 3 point.

If you are talking about running harnesses and no other items to support it, (roll bar and fixed back seats) I'd say that's a definite no. It's not going to be safer in any way.

Like Tyson said, it's about your comfort level. I have a 6 point, roll bar and bucket seats. My car rarely sees street use other than a cars and coffee or other car show 1-2 times a year and the 1-2 in town autocross events. I'm fine with that level of risk. The video someone posted above was enough to convince my wife I had to have a head and neck restraint for the track when I can wear a helmet.

If your car is primarily a street vehicle I'd stick to 3 points and stock hinged seats. Aside from harnesses and fixed back seats being a pain to get in and out of regularly, they severely restrict your movement and visibility.

 

As soon as you ask for road legal + safe with a bucket seat, at least in PA or NJ, you're asking a lot.

A bucket seat must have a harness to be safe and a harness should be used with a neck restraint to be safe. Bucket seats are not for street cars.

With that being said, some states say that simply the seat belt must remain in place to be legal.

You can always run a bucket seat and harnesses and keep the OEM seat belt as well to pass inspection.

When you're driving to the track or literally anywhere, simply use the harness as the OEM 3-point will allow for submarining and that's bad mkay?

https://honda-tech.com/forums/road-r.../#post51236734

 

in my experience with a bucket seat and OEM 3pt seat belt is that its IMPOSSIBLE to have the two work together. the high sides and bucket nature prevent lap belt and shoulder belt from snugging on my body. it would just be silly to attempt or even feel "safe" with a good 3" of clearance.

if you wanted a low thigh height seat, or even reclineable with shoulder harness holes that is designed not to interfere with the OEM 3pt, theyre out there too.

like i said, its all a system. you break part of it its a broken system.