Basic Safety Practices for HPDE Event Organizers

Preface

Safety at high-performance driver education events is enhanced by sensible rules that are understood andfollowed by all drivers. The following practices have been found by many HPDE organizations to reduceincidents and enhance safety, and Motorsport Safety Foundation recommends them for all organizations.

While these practices are foundational, this is a basic list. MSF encourages all organizations to adopt additional practices and policies that promote the safety of their participants.

The guide addresses three core areas of event safety:

•       Car Safety — Requiring pre-event technical inspections for all vehicles and mandating Snell-certified (or equivalent) helmets for all drivers, with clear guidance on helmet age limits and accepted rating standards.

•       Event Safety — Establishing requirements for trained and verified instructors, structured run groups based on driver experience and pace, mandatory classroom instruction for beginner and novice drivers, and a leadership-led drivers meeting before each event. The document also addresses the prohibition of competition within standard HPDE run groups and the separation of any time trial activity.

•       On-Track Safety — Defining standards for designated passing zones, signal-required passing protocols, zero tolerance for aggressive or intimidating driving behavior, continuous on-track monitoring, and a written incident response plan that clearly assigns roles and responsibilities before, during, and after any on-track emergency.