Road Safety Audit General Introduction

1. Road Safety Audit General Introduction Eva M. Eichinger , M.Sc., Ph.D. Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology Road Directorate Technology and Road Safety Division 1

2. What is RSA? • RSA is a systematic procedure intended to give particular consideration to road safety requirements when planning and designing roads • RSA is a safety check in the planning and design phase of road building and reconstruction projects (costs!) • Includes also road furniture and the securing of roadwork zones • Three parties are involved: • Road administrations • Road Planners • Auditors

3. Involved Parties Client (Road Owner) Auditor Planner

4. Aim of RSA • RSA ensures that • (minimal) requirements of the current guidelines associated with safety are observed • Design and construction consider traffic safety from the viewpoint of experienced auditors • Safety is considered in addition to costs, environment, local circumstances,....

5. Principles of RSA • Safe use of traffic scheme for all road users? • Safest design within the framework of design standards? • More safety possible by consideration of latest findings?

6. Why RSA? Frequent deficits of road sections • Choice of unsafe/less safe cross sections • Inconsistencies in horizontal alignment • Inconsistencies in 3D alignment • Insufficient passing sight distance • Insufficient water run-off • Deficient pedestrian and cycle facilities • Missing road-side barriers/safety installations, insufficient prevention from road side obstacles

7. Why RSA? Frequent deficits of road junctions • Inappropriate type of junction (at grade, no signal control) • Left turns without signal control • Insufficient visual perception (e.g. in tree-lined roads) • No speed limit approach • Missing prohibition of overtaking • Misleading signs; signs hidden by sight obstructions • Wrong road markings (e.g. position of stop lines, missing continuous line,...)

8. When RSA? • Planning phase • Draft design phase • Detailed design phase • Opening phase

9. What projects should be audited? • No criteria to exclude projects from RSA depending on • Costs • Road type • Road owner • Great deficits also at small projects

10. Procedure of RSA Commission of the auditor by the client All documents from the client Independent analysis of deficits by the auditor Audit report by auditor Client decides on modification No Yes Written justification of rejection Planner rectifies deficits End of audit phase

11. Requirements to the auditor • Basic qualification • Additional qualification by RSA courses • Knowledge about recent state-of-the-art in accident research

12. Internal or external audit • Either: auditors work in units of administration not participating in the planning process • Or: administration selects external auditors • Or: combination of internal and external auditors • RSA can be conducted by single auditor or audit team

13. Framework conditions for RSA • Formalised • Separtate part of the project with procedural rules for client, planner and auditor • Standardized • Checkable standardised procedures with defined procedural steps (checklists) • Independent • Neither client nor planner must give the auditor instructions, auditor must not participate in planning

14. Milestones towards a national RSA • Analysis of foreign experience • Analysis of national procedures in planning/design • Coordination/discussion with Nat. Road Authorities • Realisation of pilot audits • Benefits and cost-effectiveness • Guidelines for a National RSA

15. Costs and benefits of RSA • Costs • Costs of RSA • Additional costs of planning • Cost-expensive improvements • Benefits • Prevention of accidents • No need for modification after construction • No restrictions for user after opening • Reduction of construction costs, e.g. because of less intersections • Question: Who pays??? Liability of planners?