Road safety audit is a new tool for better road safety, a systematic procedure for accident prevention. As in other countries, accident reduction has been established practice within Danish road authorities for many years. Safety audit is a formal procedure for this. Following UK practice, in 1992 the Road Safety Unit of the Danish Road Directorate developed and adapted the concept for use on Danish roads. The first manual was published in 1993, and this pilot version has been in use for two years. The introduction of a formal system at the design stage may in certain cases evoke strong reactions from planning and design organisations. An independent panel of experts has evaluated this system. Their findings and recommendations are: (1) Safety audits should be continued and extended to include all schemes on national, county and municipal roads; (2) The usefulness of safety audits should be reassessed in about five years; (3) Safety audit recommendations should be limited to well established facts, and should be in writing; (4) The auditor must be an independent expert. A certification system should be established to ensure independence; and (5) Qualification requirements for auditors should be more precisely assessed. Training should be provided as part of the certification system.
Abstract