road safety audit cedr sg „road safety“ eva m. eichinger copenhagen, april, 2004 road safety...

Road Safety Audit CEDR SG „Road Safety“Eva M. Eichinger Copenhagen, April , 2004

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


• 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

What is RSA?


Involved Parties

Client

(Road Owner)

Planner Auditor


• 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,....

Aim 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?

Principles of 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

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,...)

Why RSA?


•Planning phase

•Draft design phase

•Detailed design phase

•Opening phase

When RSA?


• No criteria to exclude projects from RSA depending on

– Costs

– Road type

– Road owner

What projects should be audited?

• Great deficits also at small projects


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

Planner rectifies deficits Written justification of rejection

End of audit phase

Yes No


• Basic qualification

• Additional qualification by RSA courses

• Knowledge about recent state-of-the-art in

accident research

Requirements to the auditor


• 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

Internal or external audit


• 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

Framework conditions for 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

Milestones towards a national 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?

Costs and benefits of RSA

road safety audit cedr sg „road safety“ eva m. eichinger copenhagen, april, 2004 road safety...

Documents

road safety requirements

road safety division

road furniture

road users

costs road type road

traffic safety

safety check

safety possible