One of Transit New Zealand's roles is to reduce the rate and severity of road accidents. Accident blackspot work is highly cost beneficial, but it aims at accident reduction. Safety audit aims at accident prevention. It is a process which ensures that roading projects are built as safely as practical. Its motto is `Prevention is better than cure'. After researching overseas practice, principally in the UK and Australia, Transit New Zealand developed safety audit policy and procedures for New Zealand by: (1) Forming a Working Party of representatives for local authorities, consultants, the Ministry of Transport and Transit New Zealand; and (2) Conducting pilot safety audits on state highway projects. The policy and procedures in this document are written in general terms so that they may be used by both Transit New Zealand and local Authorities. (A)
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