Road safety is an important consideration in every transport project, from a new road or intersection to upgrades of existing infrastructure. But how can potential safety risks be identified before they become a problem?
A Road Safety Audit (RSA) provides an independent assessment of a road project or existing road environment, with the aim of identifying potential hazards and improving safety for everyone who uses the road.
At GeoLINK, our civil engineering team has the experience and accreditation to undertake Road Safety Audits across a range of projects and environments.
What is a Road Safety Audit?
A Road Safety Audit is a formal, independent review that considers how safely a road environment is likely to operate for all road users. This includes:
- Motorists and heavy vehicle operators
- Pedestrians
- Cyclists
- Motorcyclists
- Other vulnerable road users
The focus isn’t simply on whether a design meets relevant standards. Instead, auditors look at the road from different users’ perspectives and consider where potential safety issues or risks may arise.
This independent perspective can identify issues that may not otherwise be obvious to the project team, particularly when considered early in the design process.
When is a Road Safety Audit needed?
An RSA can be undertaken throughout the life of a road project. This means safety can be considered from the earliest planning stages through to construction and operation.
Depending on the project, an audit may be undertaken during:
- Planning and concept development
- Preliminary or detailed design
- Pre-opening or construction stages
- Post-opening or operational stages
- Assessment of an existing road environment
Identifying potential issues early can make it easier and more cost-effective to consider practical solutions before construction or changes to the road environment are complete.
How can a Road Safety Audit help your project?
For councils, developers and other infrastructure clients, an RSA provides an additional level of confidence that safety risks have been independently considered.
The process can help clients to:
- Reduce crash risk by identifying potential hazards, providing an opportunity to address issues before they contribute to crashes or incidents.
- Support informed decision-making, as the RSA provides an independent assessment that can help project teams prioritise safety improvements and determine appropriate responses.
- Demonstrate due diligence by having an appropriately qualified auditor independently review a project, demonstrating that road safety has been actively considered.
- Support approvals and funding with a documented safety assessment which can assist with approval processes and provide useful supporting information when seeking funding for infrastructure improvements.
- Reduce future liability by identifying and responding to potential safety risks. The RSA can help clients demonstrate that reasonable steps have been taken to manage foreseeable risks.
Ultimately, the goal is to help create safer road environments for the communities that use them.
GeoLINK’s Road Safety Audit expertise
GeoLINK’s civil engineering team brings practical experience in road and transport infrastructure, supported by accredited Road Safety Auditors.
Our Road Safety Audit capability is supported by access to a Level 3 Road Safety Auditor, enabling us to undertake audits across projects of varying scale and complexity. This is complemented by our in-house Level 1 Road Safety Auditor, who has completed Road Safety Audit training through the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA).
We’ve undertaken Road Safety Audits across the region, including the Byron Bay Road and Byron Street Road Safety Audit and the River Street Dual Lane Upgrade Road Safety Audit. These projects have helped councils and other clients identify potential hazards, prioritise safety improvements and make informed decisions about their transport infrastructure.
A practical approach to safer roads
A Road Safety Audit is a proactive approach to identifying opportunities to improve safety and strengthen a project. It’s about taking a fresh, independent look at how a road will work for the people who use it.
By identifying potential risks early and providing practical recommendations, an RSA can help clients make better-informed decisions and achieve safer outcomes for their projects and communities.
GeoLINK provides Road Safety Audits as part of our civil engineering services, helping clients identify risks, manage safety and deliver better transport infrastructure. Get in touch to find out more.