This paper describes the development and use of Road Safety Audits - the formal procedure for checking proposals affecting the highway network in terms of their accident potential. The principles of the Road Safety Audit process are discussed. These include: a) its organisation; b) the personnel involved; c) the formal stages in the process; d) technical aspects such as site visits, the examination ofplans, the use of safety guidelines and control data, and monitoring procedures; and d) costs and benefits. It is recommended that the Safety Audit is carried out by a team independent of the design team at three stages - at the completion of the preliminary design, at the completion of the detailed design and at the completion of construction. An example is given of the type of problem a Safety Audit might identify and of the recommendations that could be made. Issues relating to the future of Safety Audits are discussed including the development of design standards, the need for improved safety guidelines and the role of Safety Audits in Europe. (Paper also presented in Traffic Engineering and Control, Vol. 34 (1993), No. 2 (February), IRRD 857261)
Samenvatting