Runner Safety

The New Haven Road Race committee takes every precaution to make our race one of the country’s safest road races. The entire course is closed to vehicular traffic. All intersections are secured by a member of the New Haven Police Department or Traffic and Parking Department.

Medical spotters are located every mile throughout the course and have radio contact with the New Haven Fire Department. Samantha Smith M.D., an orthopedic surgeon on the faculty of the Yale School of Medicine is the race’s medical director, and is nationally known in the sports medicine field. On race day, she directs a team of five doctors and 10 support personnel at the finish area. Using guidelines formulated by USATF, Dr. Smith has the authority to cancel our event in the case of extreme heat and humidity. Ambulances are stationed in the finish area, and athletes are never more than ten minutes from a hospital on the course. A bus follows the last runner and picks up any runners who drop out. Spotters are stationed at one mile intervals along the course and can get an ambulance directed to any spot along the race course within minutes.