Full face helmets and airbags - F-Body Road Racing and Autocross Forums

This was posted on Corner-carvers.com, I thought it was worth reposting here.

From National Staff
November 16, 2004.

It has been brought to the attention of SCCA Technical Services that the use of full-face or closed-face helmets while driving vehicles with active airbag restraint systems may result in injuries in the event of a crash that deploys the airbad. Because of the location of the steering wheel relative to the driver's position, the airbag axis is on a level with the driver's chin. In a crash with airbag deployment, contact with the chin area of a full face helmet can be so powerful "that the risk of fractures to the jaw cannot be ruled out" (Hubert Gramling, FIA Institute, FT3?AF, 18.5.1999). This applies to vehicles that may be used in Solo, RallyCross, High Performance Car Control Clinics, etc.

Therefore, it is highly recommended that full-face helmets not be used in vehicles with functional airbag systems. Potentially more restrictive language is currently being considered for 2005, which could appear in an early 2005 issue of FasTrack. If you have any questions, please contact the SCCA at 800.770.2055.

http://www.scca.com/_Filelibrary/Fi...bagAdvisory.pdf

trackbird View Member Profile	Nov 17 2004, 09:57 PM Post #1
FRRAX Owner/Admin Group: Admin Posts: 15,432 Joined: 13-February 04 From: Ohio Member No.: 196	This was posted on Corner-carvers.com, I thought it was worth reposting here. From National Staff November 16, 2004. It has been brought to the attention of SCCA Technical Services that the use of full-face or closed-face helmets while driving vehicles with active airbag restraint systems may result in injuries in the event of a crash that deploys the airbad. Because of the location of the steering wheel relative to the driver's position, the airbag axis is on a level with the driver's chin. In a crash with airbag deployment, contact with the chin area of a full face helmet can be so powerful "that the risk of fractures to the jaw cannot be ruled out" (Hubert Gramling, FIA Institute, FT3?AF, 18.5.1999). This applies to vehicles that may be used in Solo, RallyCross, High Performance Car Control Clinics, etc. Therefore, it is highly recommended that full-face helmets not be used in vehicles with functional airbag systems. Potentially more restrictive language is currently being considered for 2005, which could appear in an early 2005 issue of FasTrack. If you have any questions, please contact the SCCA at 800.770.2055. http://www.scca.com/_Filelibrary/Fi...bagAdvisory.pdf

2000Z-71 View Member Profile	Nov 18 2004, 02:41 AM Post #2
Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 155 Joined: 18-April 04 From: Phoenix, Az. Member No.: 314	It still seems counter-intuitive to me. Concerns about safety were one of the reasons that I bought a full face Simpson last year. I'm sure that it varies a lot with helmet design, I can visualize problems with airbags and the thin "chin bar" type design helmets. The padding on my Simpson fits fairly tight up around my cheekbones and it sits fairly low below my chin. I think I would be better protected from an airbag deployment with it than an open face design. But I could see all kinds of problems arising from trying to differentiate between different types of full face helmets.