6 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT ADB/RSI “PRACTICAL ROAD SAFETY ENGINEERING”

ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

Welcome back
everyone
“Practical Road Safety
Engineering” online workshop
“Practical Road Safety Engineering”
Module 6 – Road online workshop
safety audit MODULE 6 – ROAD SAFETY AUDIT

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ROAD SAFETY INTERNATIONAL PHILLIP JORDAN

6 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT ADB/RSI “PRACTICAL ROAD SAFETY ENGINEERING”
ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

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Participant Question
In rural village area, there is always
an issue of theft of sign post that is
made of metals. Is it advisable to Gopal Mitra
put the sign plate on nearby road
side tree trunk or electrical post?

Yes – we have a duty to pass on essential information/warnings

to the drivers/riders. While it is best to put a sign on a single post,
exactly where you want it to be, if theft/damage is a big issue we
have to act smarter.

Use a tree trunk, or a building, or a power pole.

Or put an additional message on the road (they cannot steal a

marking!)

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6 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT ADB/RSI “PRACTICAL ROAD SAFETY ENGINEERING”
ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

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No – not necessary in most cases but always follow your

national guidelines (and sometimes they specify where to
Participant Question
use duplicate signs).
Is it necessary to install road signs In Australia speed restrictions signs are used in pairs when
on both side of the road if its two Hepisipa Oko
the speed zone changes, and often as repeater signs!
lane, two way road?

Two signs may be useful when:

• Traffic volumes are high, with many trucks to block

view of signs ahead
• On H curves – easier to see a sign on the outside of a
sharp curve
• When you have an “overshoot” problem (eg use 2 Give
Way signs)

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Participant Question
What is the standard spacing of the
Md. Joynul Abadin
tactile?

I have sent a Design Bulletin to ADB to

be distributed to all!

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6 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT ADB/RSI “PRACTICAL ROAD SAFETY ENGINEERING”
ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

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Participant Question
Material for line markings can cause
skidding to 2-wheelers during wet
conditions since they are mostly on
Nuura Addina Mohamad
the left sides (i.e. Malaysia is LHS
country). How to solve the
problems?
All line marking, left and right sides, can present a problem for
small, fast vehicles.
Thermoplastic has a higher skid resistance than paint.
Placement of the lines is important. Try not to use a much in
decision making locations (such as coming into traffic signals in
higher speed zones etc.
One video I looked at trying to get a useful answer suggests m/c
do not have issues with tactile edge lines.

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My objectives today are to:

• outline the road safety audit process
• encourage the introduction of the
An introduction to road road safety audit process in your
Road Safety national road authority,
safety audit • encourage you to undertake audits
Audit especially during the design stages of
new road projects, and
• answer your questions about the
audit process

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6 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT ADB/RSI “PRACTICAL ROAD SAFETY ENGINEERING”
ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

What is road safety audit?

Why do we
My objective today is also: need audit?
• to open discussions mainly with ADB
Road Safety officers (but others also) about how to
put RSA to best use. How do we do an audit?
Audit • Why?

When?
Where?
Prevention is better than cure - by Phillip
Jordan

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Road safety audit is

important – it is vital
for safety to “get it
right the first time”

Save time, save

money, save lives. Road Safety Audit
Prevention is better than cure

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Road Safety Audit guidelines

A road safety audit is…...

“a formal, systematic and
detailed examination of a
road project by an
independent and qualified
team of auditors that leads
to a report listing the
potential safety concerns in
the project."

(CAREC 2018)

Prevention is better than cure

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6 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT ADB/RSI “PRACTICAL ROAD SAFETY ENGINEERING”
ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

A road safety audit is…...

“a formal, systematic and
detailed examination of a
road project by an An audit is:
independent and
qualified team of auditors • A formal process – not an informal check
that leads to a report
• Carried out by people who are independent
listing the potential safety
of the design
concerns in the project."
• Undertaken by people who have appropriate
(CAREC 2018) experience and training
• Restricted to road safety issues

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Road Safety Audit A road safety audit….

is NOT

• another name for a blackspot

investigation
• a substitute for a blackspot
investigation
• an opportunity to redesign a
scheme
• a design standards check, or - requires professional judgment
a compliance check
- helps to inject safety into projects
- needs an understanding Client

Prevention is better than cure

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…..unsafe features are not

introduced

Road safety audit

But remember that a applies practical
road safety audit does safety experience at
not take over the the design stages of a
responsibility for the project to ensure …
project.
Responsibility remains


with the Project
Manager.

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ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

Road safety audit applies practical safety experience at

Road safety audit applies practical safety the design stages of a project to ensure …
experience at the design stages of a


….unsafe features are not introduced


project to ensure …
….unsafe features are not introduced

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✓
Road safety audit
Blackspots, compared
with audits - what’s the
difference?
Blackspot investigations look
at what did go wrong, why it
went wrong, and suggests
ways to reduce the risk of it
from going wrong in future.
applies practical
safety experience
at the design
stages of a project RSA investigates what might
to ensure … go wrong and suggests
…… safe features are methods to prevent this.
introduced

Prevention is better than cure - by Phillip Jordan

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Engineers are
Auditors are problem solvers
problem Auditors need to be
finders! problem finders!

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ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

To minimise the risk of crashes occurring on a

new road project, and to minimise the severity of
the crashes that do occur;

Road safety audit To minimise the risk of crashes occurring on

combines art with science adjacent roads (that is, to avoid the possibility
- the art of assessing how that the project creates crashes elsewhere on
the road users will use the the network;
road, and the science of Objectives To recognise the importance of safety in road
proven road safety
engineering principles.
of road design (so that the needs and perceptions of all
road users are met, and to achieve a balance
safety audit where they may be in conflict);
To reduce the long-term costs of a new road
project, bearing in mind that unsafe designs may
be expensive (or even impossible) to correct at a
later stage;
To improve the awareness of road safe
engineering principles by all involved in the
process of planning, design, construction and
maintenance of roads.

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Road safety audit is “Safety Insurance” for a

new road

Road safety audit

helps a project

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Decide

Select audit team

How do we do a road safety Pre-audit communication

audit? Desktop audit

Inspect site

Write audit report

Post-audit communication

Respond to the report

Implement

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Key audit steps….

Closely review drawings

Use checklists Most RSA manuals have checklists to

remind and guide you in your audits

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Key audit
Key audit steps…. steps….
inspect the site, Respond to the audit report
day and night

Use checklists to prompt….

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Road safety audit combines art with science -

the art of assessing how the road users will
use the road, and the science of proven road
Road safety audit reports on safety issues - only!
safety engineering principles.

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ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

What projects should we audit?

Big road projects

Small road projects
What projects should be road Urban projects
safety audited? Rural projects
All road projects – big and small Traffic management schemes
Pedestrian projects
Roadworks
Any work that interacts with the road

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Road safety audit is for big projects Road safety audit is for small projects

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Road safety audit is for urban projects

Road safety audit is for rural projects

Prevention is better than cure - by Phillip Jordan

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6 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT ADB/RSI “PRACTICAL ROAD SAFETY ENGINEERING”
ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

Road safety audit is for pedestrian

Road safety audit is for road works projects

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Road safety audit is for pedestrian Road safety audit is for pedestrian
projects projects

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Prevention is better than cure

Road safety audit is for bicycle projects
Road Safety Audit

Prevention is better than cure - by Phillip Jordan

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ROAD SAFETY INTERNATIONAL PHILLIP JORDAN

6 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT ADB/RSI “PRACTICAL ROAD SAFETY ENGINEERING”
ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

The 6 international
stages of road safety
audit

▪ Planning
▪ Preliminary design
▪ Final (detailed) design
▪ Traffic management
▪ Pre-opening
▪ Existing road (called
road safety inspections)
When do we do road safety audits?
There are six agreed stages

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▪ Lead to unfulfilled
expectations if remedial work
is not undertaken
▪ May cause ▪ route choice
Existing road
audits are called misunderstandings with the ▪ design standards
benefits of design stage Planning
“inspections” – ▪ impacts on the adjacent road
audits stage audits
their overuse is network
consider…..
not recommended ▪ May cause confusion with
as they…
▪ intersection types....and much
crash investigations more
(blackspots)
▪ Should already be part of a
good maintenance regime.

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The By-Pass will take through traffic away from the highway and the
development. Of course it will be safer. Does it need to be audited?

A town in the western part of the country has problems

because of a busy highway. A By-Pass is proposed…….

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ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

An audit team looks at, and beyond, the proposed scheme The audit team finds:

Old bend

SCHOOL SCHOOL

Prevention is better than cure

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The audit team finds:

A similar existing
roundabout in the
same area – the SCHOOL

proposed
roundabout will
look like this

Prevention is better than cure Prevention is better than cure

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The audit team finds:

Old bends

Prevention is better than cure

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6 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT ADB/RSI “PRACTICAL ROAD SAFETY ENGINEERING”
ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

The audit team reports on the possible safety

concerns of…..
Old curves
• Young pedestrians & cyclists
outside at large roundabouts
• Pedestrians attempting to
project cross the By-Pass
• Higher speeds entering the
old bends

The Project Manager is now required to respond to these

safety concerns and to follow up with necessary improvements.

Prevention is better than cure

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What should the Project Manager decide? What should the Project Manager decide?

Children at proposed roundabout Pedestrians crossing high speed road

• Difficult issues
• Difficult
• Don’t give up on a roundabout if possible
• Offer options to the design team
• Give options to the design team
• Overpass/underpass?
• A Stop/Give Way cross road? But these have
higher risk than roundabouts for other users. • Traffic signals?
• The designers are responsible for deciding and • Break in median?
submitting new drawings to Project Manager • Nothing!
• Not a zebra crossing!!!

Prevention is better than cure Prevention is better than cure

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Higher speeds entering the old bends – pave

the shoulders and install chevron alignment What standards are
markers involved in this example?
Some people
think road
safety audit is
a compliance There are none!
check with
standards……
Road safety audit is not a
compliance check against
standards
What should the Project Manager decide?

Prevention is better than cure

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6 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT ADB/RSI “PRACTICAL ROAD SAFETY ENGINEERING”
ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

Northern Bishkek By-Pass – preliminary design stage audit

• geometrics
Preliminary • alignments
design
• intersection layouts
stage
• cross sections
audits
consider… • vulnerable road users……and
more

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Northern Bishkek By-Pass – preliminary design

stage audit

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Existing 2 lane roundabout

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6 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT ADB/RSI “PRACTICAL ROAD SAFETY ENGINEERING”
ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

• The preliminary design for the proposed

interchange for this location has several safety
concerns: • Review the decision to construct this
• The exit to Bishkek from the east has a small interchange.
radius curve. It will be a hazardous location for • Consider improving and retaining a 2-lane
Safety high speed exiting vehicles.
• Wrong-way movements into the ramp could Recommendations
roundabout.
• If an interchange is built, consider adopting
concerns… occur as vehicles leave the small road serving a conventional closed diamond interchange
the service station. (serving all approaches – even the approach
• The proposed U-turn on the southern side of with low traffic volumes).
the interchange has many conflicts within a • Remove the proposed U-turn.
short distance. It will become a location for
sideswipe and rear-end collisions.

Medium risk

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• The proposed one-direction U-turn on the

southern approach to this interchange will be
located just near an entry ramp where 2 lanes
of traffic will be merging into one lane just as
Safety the U-turn opens; but the U-turn does not
have a sheltered turn lane. On the other
concerns… carriageway, U-turners will enter the road just
before an exit ramp.

• There will be a high risk of side swipe

collisions on both carriageways.

High risk

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Recommendations
Detailed • clear zone issues
(Final) • signs/line marking
Redesign this interchange as
a conventional closed design • crash protection
diamond interchange.
stage • traffic control
Provide for all approaches to
have access to/from the By-
audits • geometric design
pass though the interchange. consider… • lighting……..and more
Do not construct the U-turn.
It will not be needed with a
closed diamond interchange.

Prevention is better than cure

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ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

National Highway 2 - India

National Highway 2 - India
Prevention is better than cure Prevention is better than cure

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National Highway 2 - India

Prevention is better than cure

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Not enough advanced warning!

Audits of traffic
management
of road works
consider….

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6 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT ADB/RSI “PRACTICAL ROAD SAFETY ENGINEERING”
ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

A sign is useless……

Think of this work site at night!

Prevention is better than cure

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Pre-opening
… unless it can be seen ! audits consider

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Pre opening
audit in
Melbourne
• Poles too close to
road
• Poles in footpath
Preopening audit
• Crash barrier issues
• Geometric issues
• Incorrect signs

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Preopening audit

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Pre/post- • High traffic speeds through villages (high risks for

pedestrians).
opening audit • Geometric and traffic control issues (intersections and U-
turns).
Duplication of an international 57 km of newly duplicated highway. • Cattle and livestock.

highway duplication Opened to traffic December 2015. • Variations in cross sectional (particularly the width of
paved shoulders).
8 fatalities in first 6 months of 2016.
• Roadside hazards (including barriers, concrete barricades,
6 of these were pedestrians! lighting columns, bridges, open drains and culverts).

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Some things were changed

between design and opening?
Pre/post-opening stage audit

Pre/post-opening stage audit

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ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

Some things were reported in

Some things were not questioned – earlier audits – but not changed
too small – insignificant. But no
one knows what this means

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Some things were reported in

earlier audits – but not changed Some things were left undone
during construction

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Audits of existing roads (road safety

inspections) consider all issues relevant to
the crash potential of the road…

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Prevention is better than cure

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• Can be useful in countries

(like some African, Central
But and SE Asian and Middle
Eastern countries) with
audits of incomplete crash data.
existing • It can guide engineers to high
roads…. risk locations for
improvement.

If an existing road audit identifies a potential safety issue, how can the
road manager justify spending money to rectify it, while there are
“black spots” (with proven crash records) waiting for funds ?
Prevention is better than cure - by Phillip
Jordan

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But
remember, • lead to unfulfilled expectations
too many • cause a misunderstanding of
the benefits of design stage
Road safety audit -the earlier,
audits of audits better - safer, cheaper
existing • cause confusion with crash
roads investigations
may…...

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Road safety audits are a small part

of the design cost…
Road safety audit…may be the
The costs and
only time that road safety is the benefits of • 1-2% of total design costs
explicitly considered in a project road safety • A fraction of 1% of total project
audit costs (the bigger the project, the
lower this percentage)

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Surrey County Council UK Highways Agency

• 19 audited sites were compared • TRL examined 22 audited sites on
with 19 non-audited sites trunk roads
The costs and • 2+ years of crash data were The costs and • The costs of implementing the
the benefits of compared the benefits of audit recommendations were
road safety • Audited sites had a casualty saving road safety compared with the costs of
of 1.25 pa rectifying the sites after the
audit audit project was constructed
• Non-audited sites had a casualty
saving of just 0.25 • Average saving per site of £11,373

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Denmark
Jordan
• Assessed 13 schemes that had
• 9 sites that had been constructed been audited during the design
in the past decade (not audited) phase
The costs and and had become safety problem The costs and
• An evaluation panel conducted
the benefits of sites the benefits of cost benefit analyses of these
road safety • It was assumed that, if the sites road safety safety audits
had been audited, they would not
audit have required improvements later audit • A general crash prediction
method was used
• First year rate of return of 120%
• First year rate of return of 146%

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The costs • AUSTROADS One road crash

• Design audits had benefit cost fatality in your
and the ratios ranging from 3:1 to 242:1
benefits of country costs?
• Existing road audits had benefit
road safety cost ratios ranging from 2:1 to 84:1
audit

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The costs and benefits of

road safety audit

Road safety audit is a positive process

• Audits are low cost.
• Audits are high benefits

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6 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT ADB/RSI “PRACTICAL ROAD SAFETY ENGINEERING”
ONLINE WORKSHOP, 2020

experience elsewhere has shown

that the optimum road safety It is a “transparent” process
outcome is not achieved solely – open for all to see and ask
by compliance with standards questions about
CONCLUSION CONCLUSION
Road safety will road safety audit provides some It demonstrates professional
benefit from road “protection” against total responsibility in road safety
reliance on standards engineering
safety audit for
several reasons…... It is attractive -
road safety audit is a low-cost
process, with demonstrated high bureaucratically as well as
benefits politically

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There are growing concerns about

road safety now, and these will
increase.
SUGGESTED RSA POLICY
CONCLUSION You have several large road projects “All road projects will be road
ahead.
What projects safety audited at the following
are to be stages according to the class
audited in of road, in accordance with
You want to “get it right the first the procedures contained in
time” your country?
the CAREC Road Safety Audit
manual”
Who wants to build a blackspot?

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What road projects should be audited

in your country? I wish you well
EXPRESSWAYS & LOCAL
for this important
NATIONAL MAJOR ROADS
AUDIT INTERNATIONAL
HIGHWAYS
HIGHWAYS (URBAN/RURAL)
STREETS &
VILLAGE ROADS
road safety
FEASIBILITY √ Optional Optional N/A
process, and I
PRELIMINARY
√ Optional Optional N/A
look forward to
DESIGN

DETAILED DESIGN √ √ √ √
your questions
ROAD WORKS √ Optional Optional Optional
PRE-OPENING √ √ √ √

SAFETY REVIEWS
OF EXISTING ACCORDING TO LOCAL POLICY AND RESOURCES
ROADS

NO. OF AUDITS 5 Minimum 2 Minimum 2 Minimum 2

Prevention is better than cure

Prevention is better than cure

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