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Drivers Safety in racing is greatly influenced by the safety rules established and published by the sanctioning bodies that operate the racing series. This paper will list the 2006 rules in categories affecting driver's safety, from several sanctioning bodies. Those categories include required helmets, restraints, seats, padding and nets. The sanctioning bodies chosen offer a large cross-section of race cars in use from Formula SAE to NHRA Top Fuel. The rules often refer to meeting specifications from the SFI Foundation, the Snell Foundation, or Federation Interationale de l'Automobile (FIA). This paper will explain what those specifications mean and serve as a guide to sources.

Over the last decade large safety improvements have been made in crash protection for motorsports drivers. It has been well established that in side and rear impacts the driver seat provides the primary source for occupant retention and restraint. Beginning in the 2015 season, NASCAR®'s (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc) Sprint Cup Series will require driver seats which have all seat belt restraint system anchorage locations integrated internally to the seat with a minimum of seven anchorage locations. This paper describes the development of the quasi-static test for the seat integrated seat belt restraint system portion of the NASCAR Seat Submission and Test Protocol Criteria. It reviews the methodology used to develop the testing including the developmental dynamic sled tests.