Road safety audits originated in the UK in the late 1980s and were later adopted in Australia. They aim to use the expertise gained from investigating road accident blackspots to identify and address potential safety issues in road designs before crashes occur. Road safety audits started as a way to provide input from accident investigation experts into new road project designs, as these experts were seeing the same types of safety problems built into new roads. They were adopted in Australia as state road authorities had developed similar blackspot investigation expertise and jurisdictions had road safety targets, so auditing provided a way to apply this expertise proactively. The key is conducting audits early in the design process before safety issues can be written off as being outside the scope of the

1. Road Safety Audits
- Where have we come from?
Robert Morgan
robmorgan.com.au

2. The Origins
Road safety audits started in the UK
in the late 1980s
- Kent CC, Oxfordshire CC, Cambs CC, etc.
Brought to Australia by Phil Jordan (VicRoads)
after working at Oxfordshire
Adopted via Austroads
- first Guidelines 1994, revised 2002
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3. Why did it arise in the UK ?
A history of ‘AIP’
- accident investigation and prevention
(a.k.a. blackspot investigation & treatment)
People with this expertise & experience were
seeing repeated cases of new projects opened
with road safety problems built in
They had no input into these designs
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4. West Malling Bypass, Kent
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5. The essential ingredient in
every road safety audit team:
Someone with experience in
- investigating accident blackspots &
- designing remedial
engineering treatments
- with an understanding of how road
users interact with road environment
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6. Why was it adopted in Australia ?
State Road Authorities (SRAs) had developed
blackspot investigation expertise
These people in SRAs were
seeing the same problems as in the UK
Jurisdictions had Road Safety Strategies and
targets for reducing fatalities & injuries
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7. … adopted in Australia
Right people - right places - right time
Adopted & promoted through Austroads
Once it’s explained, it’s obvious:
- using the expertise gained from treating
blackspots to avoid crashes happening
in the first place
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8. What works ?
What doesn’t ?
Actual facts v. myths
Needs evidence-based decisions:
• Studies of crash reduction effects
• Control data
• Crash rates for types of layouts
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9. Free plug: AITPM (Vic) Seminar
Lost Facts & Lessons Forgotten
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E.g. new crossroads – safe or unsafe ? What does the evidence say ?

10. Aspects / Issues Across Australia
Generally adopted at SRA level,
with state policy manuals
W.A. - Road Safety Audit Panel
N.S.W. - no recommendations (RMS)
- ‘lead auditor’ training
- little follow up after audits
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11. Vic. - register of auditors
- doesn’t demonstrate competence
Qld. - mainly on new projects, not existing
- quality of audits unknown
[&N.Z. - concern if designer leads an audit
>> becomes a compliance check]
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Aspects / Issues Across Australia

12. Examples: benefits from auditing
(i) Existing Road Audits
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13. Examples: benefits from auditing
(i) Existing Road Audits
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14. Examples: benefits from auditing
(ii) Audits of Traffic Management Schemes
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One bridge closed
for strengthening
One lane
No separation - risk
of head-on crashes
Two lanes

15. Examples: benefits from auditing
(ii) Audits of Traffic Management Schemes
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Changed to one lane each way with separation

16. Examples: benefits from auditing
(iii) Road Safety Audits of Designs
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Arterial road
Down hill
– risk of
high speeds
Original
Design
Audit
Recommendations

17. Examples: benefits from auditing
(iii) Road Safety Audits of Designs
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Implemented
Re-design

18. 3
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What works ?
What doesn’t ?
Understanding ‘human factors’:
• How will road users respond
- to the layout, the information,
the absence of information, etc. ?
• A ‘safe road’ is much more than
just kinetic energy issues

19. Example: the ‘Oops’ file
Too late or ‘Outside the scope’
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4 lane roadway
on approach
Width of existing
& proposed road on
bridge = 10.5 m
4 lane roadway
on approach
Bridge deck
reconstruction &
strengthening project

20. Example: the ‘Oops’ file
Too late or ‘Outside the scope’
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21. 4
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When to audit ?
The earlier the better
Before the scope gets locked in
(I.e. before anyone can respond to an
audit recommendation that it’s
‘outside the scope’)

22. Why was it adopted in Australia ?
State Road Authorities (SRAs) had developed
blackspot investigation expertise
These people in SRAs were
seeing the same problems as in the UK
Jurisdictions had Road Safety Strategies and
targets for reducing fatalities & injuries
robmorgan.com.au
Does that still exist ?
We are still seeing needless hazards built into new projects
Still the reason we need to be doing effective road safety audits