Guidelines for the Safety Audit of Highways.

This report updates the previous edition of these guidelines (see IRRD 841855). Since its publication in 1990, road safety audit has been widely applied in the UK, guidance for local authorities was revised in 1996, and practitioners have become aware of the potential legal implications of undertaking an audit. The new guidelines in this report are designed to provide: (1) an awareness of principles for managers and clients; (2) an overview of procedures and practice for designers and planners; and (3) a code of good practice for audit teams. Chapter 1 gives an introduction. Chapter 2 establishes the principles of road safety audit, examines its basic concepts and issues, and indicates its potential benefits. Chapter 3 reviews procedures and practice, with some general guidelines. Chapter 4 details a code of good practice, covers organisation and methodology, and provides illustrative examples of different stages of audit for different schemes. Chapter 5 presents safety principles, including examples of best practice, design standards, and guidelines relevant to safety. Chapter 6 describes the use of checklists and recommends some specific lists. Chapter 7 emphasises the importance of monitoring and feedback, discusses the implications of possible litigation, and emphasises relevant legislation.