What are the dangers of 4 point harnesses?

Question

I was wondering what the dangers were of a 4 point harness on a pair of racing seats. I was planning on getting my car to do normal commuter / auto X. I was looking into some racing seats, harness bar, and some street legal harness belts but I was wondering what the dangers are if I install them and stop using the oem seatbelt. Ive heard many things about backs breaking and all of that so at this point I dont know what to seperate from fact/fiction.

Answer 1

IF they are installed properly- i think the only downside is that they take longer to put on.

pay extra attention to how the manufacturer prefers them to be installed and you should be OK.

They are put in racecars for 2 reasons-

  1. safer when installed right

   2. holds driver in place while he concentrates on driving rather than bouncing around the cabin.

if you are unsure, bring your car to a place that specializes in safety auto cages to install the properly.

have fun!

Answer 2

How is being jerked back by a belt that suddenly decelerates any better than simply hitting the wheel with your chest?

The force is the same. The only way a belt works is that it holds you in position and keeps you there and slowly gives.

Any degree of looseness is a bad thing, as it forces the body to change direction much harder.