by 
The Curious Bag
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Whiplash can cause significant injuries in an automobile accident, but those forces are magnified in racing. In the early 1980s, scientist Dr. Robert Hubbard created a device to limit the effects in high-speed crashes that occur in racing.
Accident Physics
In a motor vehicle accident, the head can move freely even while the body is restrained by a seatbelt or harness. This can create a pendulum motion that can cause stress on the neck and spine.
Medical Issues
The resultant forces can cause whiplash in even low-speed crashes, but at high speed, the impact can cause basal skull fracture, a serious injury that can sometimes be fatal.
HANS Device
The Head And Neck Support System attaches the helmet to a "collar" that reaches over the driver's shoulders via two tethers. The aim is to limit the amount of motion as the tethers tighten and the collar remains stationary.
Organizational Adoptions
Major racing organizations, including F1, NASCAR and CART, have required that all drivers competing in their races use the HANS device to participate.
Scientific Evidence
Engineers at Ford Motor's Scientific Research Laboratory found that the device improves safety because it "significantly reduces upper-neck shear, tension and extension movement."
Source:
Catchfence.com: The History Of The HANS Device As Told By Dr. Bob Hubbard
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