Safety Group final report after Jim Clark Accident - 6 January

The Motor Sports Association (MSA) welcomes the final recommendations of the Scottish Government’s Motor Sport Event Safety Review Group regarding spectator safety at multi-venue stage rallies in Scotland.

Rob Jones, MSA Chief Executive, said: “We value this report and endorse the commentary of the Review Group about the positive culture of rallying in Scotland among enthusiasts, whether spectators or volunteer marshals and officials.

“The final recommendations are comprehensive and wide-ranging. The MSA has been pleased to cooperate with the Review Group regularly since its inception and acted quickly following the group’s interim findings in October. The MSA will now evaluate each aspect of the report, consulting as necessary with those both inside and outside the governing body.”

While the recommendations originate from motor sport in Scotland, the MSA will consider how widely any changes should extend across the rest of the United Kingdom and will work with the FIA to explore their relevance to international motor sport safety.

The review group set up to look at safety in the wake of deaths at rally events in Scotland has published its final recommendations for multi-venue stage rallies. The Group on Motor Sport Event Safety was established following the deaths of three spectators at the Jim Clark rally in the Borders in May 2014. Proposals includ

• Tighter control over volunteer marshals including the introduction of a mandatory marshal licensing scheme, requiring marshals to obtain a licence following mandatory training and experience.
• Input from Police Scotland including, where appropriate, police supporting implementation of the safety plan, a liaison officer attending rallies and training support at a national level.
• Improving safety of the media through better management of press attendance at rallies, including a press accreditation scheme.
• Ground rules drawn up for spectators, marshals and competitors on assisting cars back onto the road - a common practice at rallies. 
• Improved communication with spectators and the recommended adoption of international standards for identifying low, medium and high risk spectator areas.
• Stricter control of marshalling numbers - a requirement for marshal numbers to be published in the safety plan and adhered to for each rally stage.

Updated  6 January 2015
Webmaster - Jim Paterson