Development of an Effective Neck Injury Protection System for High-Speed Car Racing

Abstract

High-speed racing car crashes can lead to neck injuries for drivers, particularly in frontal impacts. Current neck protective systems often prioritize protection over comfort, which can restrict driver mobility and lead to discomfort. This thesis suggests a new Neck Injury Protecting System (NIPS) for high-speed racing cars that overcomes the limitations of existing devices. The NIPS aims to reduce neck flexion-extension injuries by controlling the head movement to restrict excessive hyperextension and flexion during impacts. The NIPS also aims to enhance driver comfort by using lightweight and breathable materials, allowing the neck to move within a wider range of movement. In this thesis, we limited our study to flexion injuries that occurred during frontal impacts. We designed the NIPS using SolidWorks. Then, a physical model of the NIPS was 3D printed using advanced additive manufacturing technology. Several real-time experiments were conducted by coupling the NIPS model with a volunteer driver to evaluate its effectiveness. We used the neck injury criterion (Nij) to understand the reduction in the probability of injury while using this NIPS. This thesis suggested that the newly designed NIPS may be a potential solution to address the limitations of existing neck protective devices in high-speed racing. The NIPS can potentially reduce the risk of neck injuries and improve driver safety on racetracks. However, further research and development are needed to optimize and prepare the NIPS design for broader commercial use