Objectives of the road safety audit

The primary objective of a road safety audit (RSA) is a contribution to the success of a road project, consistent with the Safe System approach – that is, minimisation of death and serious injury. The Road Safety Audit identifies all areas of a project that are inconsistent with a safe system. The Road Safety Audit Report brings those concerns to the attention of the client, so the client can decide upon appropriate action(s) based on the risk analysis provided by the road safety audit team.

The role of the safety audit in the current environment is to identify aspects of the project that are inconsistent with the Safe System Approach. The decision makers should assess the potential consequences and frequency of these risks. They carry the responsibility to identify countermeasures how these risks could be addressed or eased within a value for money framework. It is recognised that while road safety audits of projects are a pro-active instrument, focusing on the road and the interrelationship of the driver with the road, all cornerstones of a safe system are important and correlated.

Consequently, the ability of the Road Safety Audit procedures to support an ongoing system improvement programme such as the dissemination of current knowledge, feedback from audits and monitoring of performance plays a key role in the delivery of a safe system.

Road safety auditors need to be aware of the Safe System guidelines and associated research that are being continually developed with respect to road elements. Asset managers, clients, designers and safety auditors are therefore encouraged to remain current with safety research.