Euromilhões Lisboa Dakar 2007: Africa > Safety

Security: a concern for all

During the whole event, the security of populations and the prevention of accidents remain our priority. For the second year running, an important plan of action will be set up, including the creation of teams focused only on road security questions. An examination of the risk zones led alongside the authorities of the countries welcoming the Dakar will settle a base of action: different means will then be deployed to secure these areas.

The efforts in terms of prevention and communication have to be relayed on the terrain by an exemplary behaviour on behalf of the competitors and all vehicles that will be cruising on the course of the rally.

The Road Safety Plan displayed in this document is an efficient tool for the prevention of risks during the rally. By reading it, make sure you understand and adopt all the principles and rules it enacts. We wish you a pleasant and beneficial reading.

» Download the Road Safety Plan (1,8 Mo)

Actions of training and awareness

In 2007

• Training of a group of Mauritanian motorcyclists by the SCTIP (French police forces).
• Spreading of awareness messages on the local radios (in local dialects) and on RFI.
• Joint accident-prevention measures by the rally and Total:
  An awareness campaign before the rally (training in preventive driving, distribution and explanations on comics).
  - 25,000 km route,
  - 230 villages and 60 schools visited,
  - 200 village brigades set up,
  - 15,000 pedagogical comics (Franco Arabian), 1,000 posters and 600 village kits distributed.
• For Dakar 2008, renewal of these actions and awareness campaigns in schools, in Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal under the aegis of the department of education.

Road Safety patrols and GPS inspectors missions

• Patrols comprise 6 vehicles and 12 people (8 of whom are French Gendarmes Forces), and there is one liaison officer of the country being crossed for every two cars.
  Their mission is:
  - providing information and help within the villages,
  - identifying risk areas,
  - putting village brigades in place (picking the people and training them),
  - activating the brigades, controlling and slowing down the race vehicles whilst the race passes through the villages.
• GPS checks are carried out by a 12 man team.
  They have a couple of missions:
  - checking departure and arrival times in the bivouacs,
  - daily inspection of the GPS race, assistance, press and organisation.

The speed limits

On the main road sections, the speed will be limited for all vehicles:

• Cars: 100 kph in Morocco, 110 kph in Mauritania, 90 kph in Senegal.
• Trucks: 90 kph.

The fines

Based on by how much the speed limit was exceeded:

• Competitors in the race will incur financial penalties and, as an ultimate step, could even be excluded from the race.
• Back-up and service personnel will incur the following penalties:
  - Financial,
  - Immobilising of the vehicle(s),
  - Exclusion from the race.

The 8 golden rules

1 - Sticking to the rules and safety instructions.
2 - Abiding by the local highway codes.
3 - Being extremely vigilant in populated areas.
4 - Service vehicles: in the rally, not in the race.
5 - Distribution = stop.
6 - Park with care, so as not to be a nuisance.
7 - Warn of any dangers that have not been pointed out.
8 - Driving in the bivouac: at walking pace.

For assistance vehicles, speed is limited to 90 km/hr for trucks and 110 km/hr for cars. The organisers reserve the right to reduce these limits for certain stages or sections of stages considered dangerous.

The speed limit in villages remains 50 km/hr, but depending on the danger of the crossing, this can be reduced to 30 km/hr.

Speed controls, applicable both to assistance vehicles and race vehicles, will be more numerous in 2008. Personnel responsible for carrying out speed checks will be doubled. Speed rules also apply to press and organisation vehicles.

As in 2007, certain CP teams will have medical facilities. The presence of doctors at control points will give an idea of whether competitors are fit and therefore avoid certain accidents.

Substantial resources: 50 persons, 1 fully equipped Field Hospital (radiology, operating theatre etc.), 3 dedicated helicopters, 14 medically equipped vehicles and 1 search plane.

Tests: in compliance with the new regulations adopted by the IMF, registration of motorbike riders will be subject to a medical examination carried out by sports doctors. A stress test and echocardiography will be required to obtain a valid medical certificate.