blkz

This may have been covered before but, if a car has a rollcage and is street driven is it a DOT requirement that you need to wear a helmet?

rudyarias

Are we talking about a full roll cage or the partial rear one? As for helmets on the street, it is illegal in Illinois to operate any motor vehicle on the street with any type of helmet if its used with a Hans device. The hans device is considered a neck restraint device which are illegal to wear when driving a motor vehicle. I have a hard bar which has not been scrutinized by authorities when pulled over.

blkz

Talking full rollcage like T1.

rudyarias

Depending on where you live in and enforcement practices there, the Full blown T1 roll cage in itself is illegal for street use, when driving the car on the street would negate any legality issue of wearing a helmet and/or wearing a six/five point harness.

davidfarmer

I don't know the law, but nobody really cares if you have a cage. I see Miatas all over the country with bars and cages in them.

The bottom line is that you must use the manufacturer installed seatbelt, even if you also have a harness in the car. Obviously this can cause issues with deep racing seats, but harnesses are pretty much a no no

rudyarias

I agree, if you drive it on the street use the OEM three point harness and do not wear a helmet.

Gannet

I'd like to see a reference that shows that it's illegal, anywhere, to run a roll bar or cage on the street, or to use an aftermarket seat belt instead of OEM.

AU N EGL

Check your states DOT laws. Each state may be different.

RMilla17

I drove a T1 car as a track car/daily driver. If you get hit on the side (t-boned etc...) you will smack your head against the top side bar and kill urself if u dont have a helmet on (even if u have padding it will not help without a helmet). Not safe at all. A full cage should not be legal in street driven cars. Thats why I sold my car. Couldnt afford a daily driver to have as well as my vette.

johninar

The aftermarket harness or belt will not be DOT certified, and won't pass. I've never heard of roll bar or cage being illegal. It sure is a bummer to bang your head against the roll bar though.

I would think a helmet is a definite no no. Impeding hearing/visability would be the first thing that comes to mind.

63Corvette

I street drive my 63 which has a bar, not a cage. Our shop caters to police cars, and no one has ever said anything about either the bar or the fact that I run a race belt (with or without shoulder belts) on the street.

rudyarias

Do you have access to www.lexisnexis.com? If so, it will give both federal and individual state legal references as well as case law on the subject. Its to my understanding that in Illinois, full roll cage (non OEM integrated), five/six/seven point harness or head/neck restraint is illegal on public street/rural/interstate roads. Roll bar (bolt on or welded) behind the cockpit (driver/passenger area) not blocking the rear window is okay. Four point harnesses on the other hand are being tested and studied for approval to be used (O.E.M.) in select 08 Ford models.

When I was recently released from my cervical decompression and fusion surgery. My doctor has me on orders not to drive or fly an airplane for a minimum of six weeks. He told me that it was because 1.) to prevent me from having an accident while the bone was healing and being fused. 2.) to eliminate the any possible trauma created from vibration from road conditions and 3.) I cannot drive in Illinois while wearing any type of neck brace. This was later reinforced at the hospital by a State Trooper who I asked. This led into a helmet/harness/roll cage scenerio to which I was further enlighten. in Illinois, one can get an exemption as a "show/specialty automobile" which it will be plated as such. The down side is a yearly mileage/insurance restrictions.

My wife on the other hand had the same surgery in Naples Florida and was allowed to drive the day after her release wearing a soft collar. Definitely, check with your state DMV.

gkmccready

Schroth harnesses used to be certified for street use, IIRC. Nobody else went through the time and effort and that was one of the reasons Schroth were more expensive.

BrianCunningham

Nice thing about my hardbar is that I can wear the stock belt over my harness.

Never heard of a cage being illegal.

rudyarias

Two key points to what makes Scroth harnesses legal is that they are four point using existing anchor points of the OEM restraint system already in the car. Second is that they have a release system that is uniform with D.O.T. requirements.

rudyarias

Get pulled over in your C5 with a full blown T1 roll cage in it. Depending on the state, you may not get it back. Cages that are used behind the driver (bolt on or welded) or are in convertibles are legal because they do not obstruct driver/passenger door access in the event of a accident. That is why street cars have integrated "cages" with the driver/passenger designed in having impact bars built into their doors, their interiors padded and be opened by EMTs from the outside after impact. The current VW commercial is an example of why they are designed that way.

Full T1 roll cage extends into the cockpit area and is not designed for the driver and/or passenger to be wearing an O.E.M. three point harness. Full T1 roll cages are designed to be used with racing seat, five/six point harness and a gutted out (unpadded) interior to maximize safety of it occupants in the event of a high velocity roll over.

AU N EGL

Dosent the NEW SCCA rules for 2007, require that all door glass be removed? and that doors bars are the new style NASCAR double Door bars?

I dont think there would too much of a problem providing the roll bar / cage does not interfear with rear view, the OEM belts work and the AIR bags are functional.

c4cruiser

Shoulder belts aren't required under RCW for cars built before January 1, 1968 but RCW 46.37.510 is specific about harnesses that do not meet DOT specs or the rules adopted by the State Patrol. According to the RCW, your 63 is not even required to have belts in it.

I would not think there would be a problem with wearing race-specific harnesses but if you were to get stopped by an LEO who wanted to hassle you, the chances are that you could get a ticket for violating the above RCW if you could not specifically prove that your harness met either the federal DOT or WSP requirements. http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=46.37.510

Although I have a 5-point harness and bar in my 87, I never wear them for street use. The factory belts keep me out of trouble.

NoOne

I've never had a problem but I've always had a 6 point.

I wouldn't go beyond that because as others have said you'll smack your head on the overhead bars and kill yourself.

Police in Michigan though are EXTREMELY lenient on things like this. I know I've been pulled over plenty of times with a cage in the car Some of our test cars have cages also and never get bothered about them.

I even have been pulled over wearing harnesses in my last car and the cop didn't say a word about it.

Is it illegal, yes, but at least around here they are very cool about things like that.

Gannet

Thanks for the replies so far, but I'm still waiting. We've had a bunch of rumors and "I heard" and one actual cite (thanks!) that basically says that a post-'68 car has to have seat belts and shoulder harnesses. They have to be "adequate and safe seat belts". I think it would be hard to argue that a good race harness didn't meet that requirement.

Any more?