Guide to Conducting a Road Safety Audit
Road Safety Audit Background
Road Safety Audits (RSAs) are an excellent tool used to reduce and eliminate safety issues on future/existing roadways through
multidisciplinary teams. These RSA teams have shown their
effectiveness with crash and fatality rates significantly being reduced when their suggestions were implemented on the specified, projects areas. Nationally, RSAs whose recommendations are implemented see crash reductions from 10 to 60%. Additionally, it should be mentioned that RSAs are not only effective,
but cost efficient. More information on the cost-benefit analysis can be found at: https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsa/case_studies/fhwasa06017/page3.cfm
Overall, the elimination of crashes, with often
low-cost solutions, gives the RSA process its status as a resourceful, transportation tool. Fortunately,
from this evidence and for the betterment of safety on the roadways, steps are
provided below to guide users in conducting a Road Safety Assessment.
Note: The attachment below can be a great resource to guide you through the RSA process and steps.
Regional_RSA_Implementation_Guide_.pdf
Click here to view the templates available for use when conducting Road Safety Audits (RSAs).
Click here to watch the webinar "Basics of Conducting a Roadway Safety Audit"
Power Point presentation from "Bascis of Conducting a Roadway Safety Audit"
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Road Safety Audit Process
Step 1: Identify the Project Area
Usually, the owner of the project/design team chooses the location(s) to be examined during a road safety audit. The selection of the location is often supported by using a Regional Priority Safety List. Possible high profile locations, potential costs of improvement to the location, and the amount of change the project area has received are also taken into consideration.
After selecting a location, the project owner coordinates with an individual to be the RSA team leader. Assistance can be received from FHWA or ODOT to perform the RSA, or the roadway owner may attend training sessions to conduct the RSA directly. Once this portion has been completed, the RSA scope, timeline, procedures, report guidelines, team requirements, and a list of tasks to be completed for the RSA are formulated.
Note: Also make sure to include thoughts on what time of year would be best for the RSA, and if there are special events in the project area that may affect the RSA.
Local Public Agencies (LPAs) and Regional Planning Commissions may apply for RSA assistance through ODOT's Local Safety Assistance program.
More information on the program and the application to request RSA assistance are available at:
Step 2: Determine the Multidisciplinary Team
This is the group that will review the roadway and recommend countermeasures to improve safety. The team should be a varied group of individuals right-sized to meet the needs for your roadway. In Ohio we have traditionally included the roadway owner, but in other states, the RSA team has not included the roadway owner. Below
is an example of individuals who can be invited to participante on a multidisciplinary RSA team. This example
is from an actual RSA that was performed on a township roadway near a school.
Title Organization
Traffic Engineer
County Engineer’s Office
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Assistant County Engineer
County Engineer’s Office
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Chief Deputy Sheriff
County Sheriff’s Office
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Administrator Township
Official
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Fire Chief Township Fire Station
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Assistant Principal High
School
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Citizen Citizen/Farmer
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LTAP employee
ODOT/LTAP
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District ODOT
employee/ specialist ODOT District X
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Also, as one can see, the RSA team should contain
varying expertise in categories such as user groups, maintenance, operations,
planning, road safety, and enforcement /emergency services.
Note: Having
the smallest RSA team possible with the most expertise is the desired practice.
Step 3: Start-up Meeting
The purpose of this step is
to exchange information between all participating team members and others who
are deemed necessary in the process. (This could be a project/design
team.) Additionally, this meeting also helps
to create a direct line of communication between all involved.
At the
meeting, a the pre-RSA packet should contain the topics discussed below:
·
The Purpose
·
Schedule/Agenda
·
Roles/Responsibilities
·
Scope
·
Design constraints
·
Relevant data to the RSA (current and planned
conditions)
·
Previous findings in other RSA/safety studies
if applicable
·
Any other special cases that are deemed
necessary to include
Note: Provide the pre-RSA packet to all attendees prior to the meeting so it can be looked over beforehand for better discussion
Step 4: Conduct Field Review(s)
The team should visit and
review the project area site in its entirety several times. During this step, the
team should also log if there are suspected safety issues or constraints that
would affect the project within an RSA prompt list. This could be
due to project conditions, road geometry, visibility aspects, human reaction
times, the volume and movement of traffic, and the use of the lands surrounding
the project area. The FHWA Road
Safety Audit Guidelines and Pedestrian
Road Safety Audit Guidelines and Prompt
Lists below can also be looked to by the RSA team for guidance in
identifying issues. (see links below to these documents)
Note: Assessments of the project area must consider all
potential users of the project area, not just motorized traffic. Limitations
and capabilities of the users should also be taken into consideration.
Note: Taking videos of the project area are also helpful
in deciding safety measures, issues, and constraints. They can be reviewed during the RSA Team's debrief meeting. Videos can be recorded at different times, such as at daytime and nighttime, or peak and non-peak hours. This will allow the RSA team to gain deeper insight when it comes to the site and the identification of possible issues.
Step 5: Conduct Analysis and Prepare Report
The RSA team should
now perform an analysis based on the site visits and documents provided prior
to this step. This analysis should lead to a listing of identified safety issues along with recommended countermeasures for short, medium and long-term implementation. Level of risk is a key facotr in determining the recommendation priorities. The information from the analysis is used to create an RSA Recommendations Report.
Note: Using the RSA analysis template in the Implementation Guide may be helpful. (See link above for Regional RSA Implementation Guide.)
Step 6: Present Findings to Project Owner
If the roadway owner has been a member of the RSA team, then this step is not needed and either is Step 7. However, if the roadway owner (project owner) has not been a part of the RSA team, then this step is crucial along with Step 7.
The RSA findings/summary
should be presented to the owner/design team with all RSA team members in
attendance. This allows all the expertise within the RSA team to be applied to
the formation of the RSA report. The
meeting attendees should ensure all findings are properly addressed within
the report. The attendees should also ensure the RSA report includes a
short summary of the project, list of the RSA team members (and
qualifications), log of the site visits, collection of data used for the RSA,
and a summary of the findings along with the suggested countermeasures. Pictures
and diagrams should be included for greater clarity. A sample and template for an RSA report can be found by clicking the following link - Click here to view the templates available for use when conducting Road Safety Audits (RSAs).
Note: The meeting also allows for questions to be
answered and new/alternative suggestions for mitigation measures to be
expressed.
Step 7: Prepare Formal Response
This step only applies if the roadway owner was not part of the RSA Team. After
reviewing the final draft of report, the roadway owner (project owner) must make a formal
written response to the report findings. The report response should include
what actions the owner or design team plans to take in implementing each of the
suggested safety countermeasures. The formal written response is acceptable in the
form of a letter that is signed by the roadway owner/design team.
Step 8: Implementation
Once steps 1-7 have been completed, an
implementation plan should be created and funding sought to carry the plan out. The RSA implementation plan can then be integrated within an
agency’s planning process and/or used for an “after-action review”. An after-action
review can be a measure taken by the RSA team to quantify the effectivity and
efficiency of the implemented solutions. Other additional solutions can also be deemed
necessary in fully resolving issues.
Additional Resources
For questions, please contact:
Victoria
Beale
614-466-3129
Victoria.Beale@dot.ohio.gov
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