Safety
Rules

1. Arriving at a stage:

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•   Always remember - rally is a dynamic (and sometimes dangerous) sport, where the unexpected can happen. Always make sure you are safe, follow what is going on around you and be ready to react accordingly.

•   When arriving at the special stage, place your car in a way that it does not block the road – make sure that you leave enough space for a larger minivan or an ambulance to pass by.

•   Before the rally cars, there are safety cars going through the stage making sure that everything is ready for the rally to start. With that in mind, remember to get to your spot in a timely manner! Do not walk on the stage 30 minutes before the start and, if you have to cross the road, make sure that the road is clear. Remember – the special stage itself is not a spectator area, being on the road is not safe!

•   When choosing your viewing location, obey the safety markings - do not move them under any circumstances! Assess if the chosen spot is safe. Remember - the safety markings will not stop a car that goes off the road!

•   Be responsible to the environment, remember that the forest, field or your other chosen viewing point belongs to someone else. Please treat it with respect and leave everything in the same condition as it was when you arrived.

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2. During a live stage:

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•   Throughout the rally, follow all the posted safety directions, as well as directions of the stage officials and other official personnel - the only reason for these is to make a safe rally for both - the spectators and competitors. Remember that not meeting these safety directions could result in stage becoming danger to run, and can result in its cancellation.

•   Obey the track markings and never stand in an area that is marked as (“Dangerous Area”). Preparing the special stages is a time-consuming and deliberate process, with the involvement of professional rally drivers. Listen to what they have to say and never stand in areas that they have deemed to be potentially dangerous.

•   You can take photos and videos, but do so safely. Remember that professional photographers get their most dynamic shots by using cameras that are controlled remotely. Think twice if it is worth to endanger yourself for a single shot.

•   Do not lose your focus while a stage is live - do not turn you back to the stage. Even the best racing drivers make mistakes, and a technical problem to the car can happen at any moment. Follow the action on the stage, as rally cars can change direction rapidly.

•   Even though rally cars start with set starting intervals, do not take them for granted. Depending on what happens on a particular stage, these intervals can be either longer or shorter – it is possible that you will see two cars coming by you at the same time.

•   Remember that the rally cars are driving on gravel roads, and are picking up and throwing around not just dust, but also rocks.

•   If you are attending the rally with children or pets, you are solely responsible for their well-being, so do not lose focus, watch those close to you and always make sure that they do not wander away and are in a safe area.

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3. Conclusion of a stage:

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•   Just after the final rally car, a safety car with flashing lights and a checkered flag sticker drives through the stage – it signals the end of a special stage and opens it to the spectators. Do not leave your spot before this car has gone past, as otherwise you can be surprised by an oncoming rally car at any point. Remember that, after the conclusion of a stage, you are only allowed to go through it in the same direction as the rally cars.

•   When leaving your spectating area, make sure that you have not left any garbage behind. In the summertime, be extra cautious with fire – never leave a burning or smouldering fire, and never drop a still lit cigarette on the ground.

•   Finally, this event is contested by professional drivers with licences issued by Latvian Automobile Federations. In addition to that, the event takes place on roads closed to the public. Also, these numerous safety precautions show that rally can be a dangerous sport. With that in mind, remember to critically evaluate your own driving skills and do not try to replicate what you have seen on the stage. Remember that you are not alone on public roads, and can potentially endanger not just yourself, but others as well.

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