safety car

noun

A vehicle employed to lead the competitors in an auto race for the duration of a few laps, with the intention of restricting their speed while a hazard exists on the circuit.

“After a car crashed, the safety car was sent out to lead the remaining drivers safely past the site of the accident.”

Similar
pace carSC
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Meanings

nounsafety car (plural safety cars)

plural safety cars

  1. hobbiesA vehicle employed to lead the competitors in an auto race for the duration of a few laps, with the intention of restricting their speed while a hazard exists on the circuit.

    After a car crashed, the safety car was sent out to lead the remaining drivers safely past the site of the accident.

    1 more example

    The race around the Interlagos circuit in São Paolo effectively became a 12-lap dash to the flag when Valtteri Bottas triggered the safety car after he pulled his Mercedes over with engine trouble.

    2019 November 17, Sarah Holt, “Verstappen wins Brazilian GP as Ferraris collide AND Gasly and Sainz claim first F1 podiums”, in CNN

    Synonyms: pace car, SC

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA vehicle employed to lead the competitors in an auto race for the duration of a few laps, with the intention of restricting their speed while a hazard exists on the circuit.

Similar
pace carSC

Translations

Finnish turva-auto
  • turva-autocar to restrict speed in car race
French voiture de sécurité
  • voiture de sécuritécar to restrict speed in car race
German Safety-Car, Pacecar
  • Safety-Carcar to restrict speed in car race
  • Pacecarcar to restrict speed in car race
Italian safety car, pace car
  • safety carcar to restrict speed in car race
  • pace carcar to restrict speed in car race
  • auto di sicurezzacar to restrict speed in car race
  • automobile di sicurezzacar to restrict speed in car race
  • autovettura di sicurezzacar to restrict speed in car race
  • vettura di sicurezzacar to restrict speed in car race
  • macchina di sicurezzacar to restrict speed in car race
  • sicurautocar to restrict speed in car race
Polish samochód bezpieczeństwa
  • samochód bezpieczeństwacar to restrict speed in car race
Spanish coche de seguridad, auto de seguridad
  • coche de seguridadcar to restrict speed in car race
  • auto de seguridadcar to restrict speed in car race
Turkish güvenlik aracı
  • güvenlik aracıcar to restrict speed in car race
Cite this entry
APA

safety car. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/safety%20car

MLA

“safety car.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/safety%20car. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “safety car,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/safety%20car.

Source: safety car on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.