Courses generally take 45 to 90 seconds to run, and each driver gets at least three runs. Although the speeds are fairly low, don't go thinking that this is boring. Turns are fairly tight, and come up with much more frequency than road racing courses, or even most twisty mountain roads. It is for this reason that autocrossing favors handling and driving skill over speed and power, and that we suggest suspension work before engine work. With the exception of permanent courses such as go kart tracks, the course is different for every event.
Drivers learn the course by walking it a couple of times before their first timed run.
This process of learning the course by walking it and having the first run count is very different from traditional road racing, where drivers get dozens of practice laps before the race begins. Generally, autocrosses are quite safe. Unlike rally or road racing, there is generally nothing to hit, particularly in parking lot courses. Cars have been known to break since autocross is harder on the car than street driving, but a car in good condition should not suffer these problems. Also, there have been cases where driver error has caused some damage, but this is rare.