Editing Isle of Man TT (section)

==Incidents==
{{main|Isle of Man TT Mountain Course#Safety}}
{{see also|List of Isle of Man TT Mountain Course fatalities}}

Between 1907 and 2023, there have been 156 fatalities during official practices or races on the Snaefell Mountain Course, and 269 total fatalities (this number includes the riders killed during the Manx Grand Prix, and Clubman TT race series of the late 1940s/1950s).<ref name=times/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/sport/motorsport/worlds-fastest-death-cult-the-most-dangerous-race-on-the-planet/news-story/e1a4b17cc4e577ba79737a64da501dbc|title=World's fastest way to die: Motorbike race that's killed 246|newspaper=News.com.au|date=2 July 2015}}</ref><ref name=course>{{cite web |url=http://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/11259/2-riders-killed-in-separate-incidents-at-2017-isle-of-man-tt|last=Brown |first=Aaron |title=3 Riders Killed in Separate Incidents at 2017 Isle Of Man TT| publisher=The Drive|access-date=13 June 2017|date=7 June 2017 }}</ref> In 2016, 5 riders died on the course during official practices or races.<ref name=backus>{{Citation |title= ISLE OF MAN |last= Backus |first=Richard  |magazine=[[Motorcycle Classics]] |pages= 50–56 |date=March–April 2017 }}</ref><ref name=five>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/11/two-more-motorcyclists-killed-at-isle-of-man-tt-races/// |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/11/two-more-motorcyclists-killed-at-isle-of-man-tt-races/// |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Two more motorcyclists killed at Isle of Man TT races| newspaper=The Telegraph |access-date=20 February 2017|date=11 June 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="tragedy"/><ref name=recap>{{cite news |url=https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2016/06/13/2016-isle-of-man-tt-recap-winners-fatalities///|last=Lieback  |first=Ron  |title=2016 Isle of Man TT Recap – Winners & Fatalities| newspaper=Ultimate MotorCycling|access-date=7 February 2017|date=13 June 2016 }}</ref> There were six fatalities among competitors in the [[1970 Isle of Man TT|1970]] and [[2022 Isle of Man TT|2022]] Isle of Man TTs, making them the two deadliest years in the history of the event.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/sport/motorsport/worlds-fastest-death-cult-the-most-dangerous-race-on-the-planet/news-story/e1a4b17cc4e577ba79737a64da501dbc |title=World's fastest way to die: The most dangerous race on the planet |publisher=news.com.au |access-date=20 February 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/679077/Two-deaths-Isle-of-Man-TT-Festival-five-toll |title=Two more deaths take Isle of Man TT Festival toll to five |publisher=express.co.uk |access-date=20 February 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=After deadliest year, how do you make 2023 Isle of Man TT safer? |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/northern-ireland/65725502 |access-date=2023-11-21}}</ref>

===2018 Course Car incident===
[[File:Sarah's Cottage 2009 uphill.JPG|thumb|Sidecars returning to [[TT Grandstand|Paddock]] past [[Sarah's Cottage, Isle of Man|Sarah's Cottage]] in reverse direction to a normal race after a red flag caused by a competitor's crash in [[2009 Isle of Man TT|2009]]]]
On 30 May 2018, an experienced TT rider, Steve Mercer,<ref>[https://www.iomtt.com/tt-database/events/races?meet_code=ALL&ride_id=9863 Race results, Steve Mercer] iomtt.com Retrieved 25 January 2020</ref><ref name="Autosp">[https://www.autosport.com/tt/news/142853/tt-outlines-changes-after-course-car-incident Isle of Man TT outlines changes after Mercer course car collision] ''[[Autosport]]'', 18 April 2019, Retrieved 26 January 2020</ref> was seriously injured during a head-on collision with an official Course Car at [[Ballacrye Corner|Ballacrye]]. The car, being driven at high speed,<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/motorsport/46454504 Isle of Man TT 2018: Injured Steve Mercer thanks fans for support] ''[[BBC News]]'', 5 December 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2020</ref><ref name="BBC 7 Dec 2018"/> was conveying police officers to officiate at the scene of a fatality involving [[Dan Kneen]]. Mercer was unconscious for five days and hospitalised for five months due to multiple injuries. He was one of seven riders who had been halted on the course and turned back by marshals, being instructed to proceed back to the [[TT Grandstand]] area in the reverse direction after the [[Racing flags#Red flag|red flag stoppage]].<ref>[https://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/motorcycling/stricken-isle-of-man-tt-racer-steve-mercer-says-it-can-t-end-like-this-1-8884236 Stricken Isle of Man TT racer Steve Mercer says 'it can't end like this'] ''[[Belfast Newsletter]]'', 9 April 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2020</ref><ref name="bikesportnews June 2019">[https://www.bikesportnews.com/news/news-detail/mercer-crash-report-still-unavailable-one-year-on Mercer crash report still unavailable one year on] bikesportnews, 10 June 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2020</ref> Immediately after the accident the organisers changed their protocols, requiring that returning riders must be controlled by motorcycle-mounted [[#Travelling Marshals|travelling marshals]] to the front and rear.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.iomtoday.co.im/article.cfm?id=41016&headline=What%20we%20know%20so%20far%20about%20Mercer%27s%20crash&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2018|first=Adrian|last=Derbyshire|title=What we know so far about Mercer's crash|date=6 June 2018|access-date=26 January 2020|work=Isle of Man Today|publisher=Tindle Newspapers Ltd|archive-date=25 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225030111/http://www.iomtoday.co.im/article.cfm?id=41016&headline=What%20we%20know%20so%20far%20about%20Mercer%27s%20crash&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/red-flag-procedure-with-immediate-effect-221749|author=<!--not stated-->|title=Red flag procedure with immediate effect|date=31 May 2018|work=Isle of Man Today}}</ref> An independent inquiry into the circumstances was arranged by ACU Events, the event organisers.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/motorcycling/tt-2018-ex-motorsport-association-chief-will-lead-independent-inquiry-into-steve-mercer-incident-1-8537960|title=TT 2018: Ex-Motorsport Association chief will lead independent inquiry into Steve Mercer incident|first=Kyle|last=White|work=[[The News Letter]]|date=19 June 2018}}</ref>

The [[Auto-Cycle Union]], the Isle of Man Department for Enterprise, and the inquiry report author, lawyer Rob Jones, a former chief executive of the [[Motorsport UK|Motor Sports Association]], all refused to release the report as it was confidential and privately owned by the ACU.<ref name="BBC 7 Dec 2018">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-46467588 TT organisers refuse to reveal contents of serious crash investigation] ''[[BBC News]]'', 7 December 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2020</ref><ref name="bikesportnews June 2019"/><ref>[https://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/motorcycling/steve-mercer-denied-access-to-official-report-into-head-on-collision-at-isle-of-man-tt-1-8875467 Steve Mercer denied access to official report into head-on collision at Isle of Man TT] ''[[Belfast Newsletter]]'', 11 April 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2020</ref><ref>[http://www.iomtoday.co.im/article.cfm?id=47676&headline=They%20won%27t%20even%20tell%20Mercer%20what%20went%20wrong&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2019 They won't even tell Mercer what went wrong] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225195554/http://www.iomtoday.co.im/article.cfm?id=47676&headline=They%20won%27t%20even%20tell%20Mercer%20what%20went%20wrong&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2019 |date=25 February 2021 }} iomtoday, 5 April 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2020</ref>

The ACU admitted liability for the accident, but instructed that any legal claim for compensation by Mercer must be filed in the Isle of Man. The ACU stated that Mercer was receiving financial assistance through its "extensive insurance arrangements".<ref name="Autosp"/><ref>[https://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/motorcycling/steve-mercer-s-compensation-claim-in-wake-of-tt-course-car-crash-must-be-heard-in-isle-of-man-1-9053069 Steve Mercer's compensation claim in wake of TT course car crash 'must be heard in Isle of Man'] ''[[Belfast Newsletter]]'', 29 August 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2020</ref><ref>[https://www.acu.org.uk/News/2019/04/ACU-TT-Statement/ ACU TT Statement] Auto Cycle Union, 18 April 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2020</ref>

In 2019, it was reported that the driver of the car in the collision had quit after criticism that he exceeded a newly introduced speed limit recorded by a [[GPS tracking device]] when he drove to attend a fatality involving Chris Swallow at [[Ballaugh]] in August's Senior Classic TT. Gary Thompson, Clerk of the Course and an ACU employee, had been criticised in 2018 for also fulfilling the role of Safety Officer; consequently a new incumbent was in place for 2019.<ref name="BBC 7 Dec 2018"/><ref>[https://www.bikesportnews.com/news/news-detail/tt-bosses-outline-safety-changes-following-mercer-crash TT bosses outline safety changes following Mercer crash] bikesportnews, 18 April 2019 <!-- image of Steve Mercer in wrong direction at Ginger Hall --> Retrieved 27 January 2020</ref><ref>[http://www.iomtoday.co.im/article.cfm?id=50633&headline=ACU%20official%20stands%20down%20in%20tracker%20row&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2019 ACU official stands down in tracker row] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225123034/http://www.iomtoday.co.im/article.cfm?id=50633&headline=ACU%20official%20stands%20down%20in%20tracker%20row&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2019 |date=25 February 2021 }} iomtoday.co.im, 6 September 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2020</ref>