It may be very easy for an agency to initially assume that they have no need for a
Road Safety Audit Process or that they already are performing this process. To fully appreciate the value and uniqueness of the Road Safety Audit Process, one must understand its key elements as it has been utilized in other countries, such as Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.
The needs of all road users, not just automobiles, are considered in the Road Safety Audit Process. Emphasis is given to pedestrians, bicyclists, large trucks, buses, emergency vehicles, and railroads.
The Road Safety Audit Process has access to the design continually through project development. The ideal Road Safety Audit consists of five separate and formal reviews:
One review during the feasibility,
Preliminary design,
Final design,
Pre-opening (construction), and
In-service phases. This allows safety to be a more integral part of the design of the transportation facility.
Field views focused purely on safety issues are conducted as part of the formal reviews. A team of experts brainstorms safety concerns and recommendations during the field view. Solutions are not required.
The Road Safety Audit Team attempts to anticipate crashes. This is a proactive approach. In fact, crash history is not normally used. An agency additionally needs to ensure that crash history and the other needed elements are integrated, with the Road Safety Audit remaining a separate process.
The Road Safety Audit Team generates a formal report after each audit; the Project Manager formally responds by stating actions taken or why actions were not taken.
There is no ideal adaptation of the Road Safety Audit Process. It is recommended that after the process is well understood, the agency should then determine how to best implement the process utilizing the strengths of their organization.