SAFER, HANS, CoT, these words have become synonymous to NASCAR as they develop more and safer ways to protect the driver in one of the world's most dangerous sports.

SAFER barrier:

Although the Steel And Foam Energy Reduction barrier is not mandatory for a driver, this is an important piece of equipment that cannot be overlooked in the importance of driver safety. The barrier was introduced at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway by owner Tony George in 2002. Multiple years of research and development had gone into the protection device that was placed on the inside of the contract walls around the track. Though developed distinctly for the IRL -Indy Racing League- the safety of drivers is universal, and the technology was shared between the two sports.

The soft wall, as drivers refer to it, was developed by a Roadside Safety Facility at the University of Nebraska over a 4 year period. Dr. Dean Sicking and his team constructed tubes of steel with hard foam placed behind the tubes to absorb the energy of a crash. Since then, numerous drivers had applauded the SAFER barrier, and several drivers have attributed their ability to walk away after a crash to the soft wall.

HANS Device

This Head and Neck System had been required to be used by NASCAR drivers since Dale Earnhardt death in 2001. Made of carbon-fiber, the HANS device is shaped like two upside down U's. Each one goes over a shoulder and attaches to the helmet the driver wears. The belts that secure the driver to the seat cross over the HANS device and secure it to the body of the driver. The HANS device keeps the head from whipping forward in a crash. Because the body of the driver is secured to the seat, this stops the velocity of the body, and because the HANS device has secured the head to the driver's body, the head will decelerate as well.

CoT

The well worth the wait, the Car of Tomorrow was developed over a period of five years. Since Dale Earnhardt's death in 2001, NASCAR has stressed the importance of further developing safety implements to protect its drivers. The car is both wider and taller to relieve "crumple" stress on the driver. The driver's seat has been moved towards the center of the car, and rerouted the exhaust system away from the driver to relieve the heat. Due to the fact the car had been made larger; more foam has been put around the driver for protection.

Other safety items for the driver are:

Roof flaps: These are forced open when a car goes

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