The immense popular success of the Dakar and the nature of the terrain on which it takes place have been taken into account when defining safety procedures. A huge communication campaign has therefore been set up. The safety of the public and the competitors is a priority for the Organisation.

Prevention : «spectator» zones

Around 60 secure zones will be set up along the route so that the spectators can come and admire the skills of the competitors safety.

Safety measures

• 6 of the Organisation’s vehicles will be positioned in these spectator zones every day
• A massive communication campaign (print media, radio, television and billboard) will be carried out well in advance in order to inform the public about the attitude to adopt
• The location of the spectator zones will be made public and published on the official web site and in the local press two days before the rally arrives
• 30 people from the Argentinean National Security Agency will patrol these zones in 15 specific vehicles and supervise the public’s behaviour.

A safety charter

Respecting the driving rules in force in the countries crossed is an absolute necessity. The competitors, the assistance services, the media and generally any person driving a vehicle who is accredited by the Organisation must make a personal commitment and sign a charter when the vehicles are verified.

The data contained in the GPS are systematically transmitted by a wireless link system, once the vehicle has reached the clocking-in point at the finish of the liaison section which completes the day’s stage.
All offences committed will immediately be communicated to the officials in charge of enforcing the rules.

Speed checks will also be carried out by the representatives of the Argentinean, Chilean and Peruvian police, who have been asked to be particularly strict during the passage of the rally.

Pco : the control tower of the rally

All of the information is centralized at the Poste de Coordination Opérationnel (PCO). Warnings may be received via the Iritrack communication system, the security beacons or the various radio channels used by the Organisation.

Key points of the safety procedures

• 35 people will be working at the PCO around the clock, split between a PC in the field and a PC in Paris. Representatives of the local authorities will constantly be present and able to call upon the necessary emergency services.
• An ultra-mobile medical service : made up of three helicopters and ten medical vehicles.
• A field hospital will be manned by approximately thirty doctors and equipped with cutting edge emergency equipment. For serious injuries, air lifts to hospitals can always be performed within a rapid response time.