Chapter F13 Traffic systems and road safety

F13.6 Road safety audits

Introduction

A road safety audit (RSA) is a procedure for auditing the safety of projects through their development process. It must be applied to new roading, renewal of roading facilities, and walking or cycling facilities. It does not apply to auditing of the existing network or specialist applications, such as traffic control at roadwork sites.

If the project manager considers there is justification for not conducting an RSA, then they must complete an ‘exception declaration’ and keep it on file for audit purposes.

When is as RSA conducted?

An RSA is typically undertaken at the following key stages of a project's development:

• feasibility/concept
• preliminary design/scheme assessment
• detailed design
• pre-opening/post-construction/implementation.

However, these stages are not rigid. There will be occasions where the project manager will consider the need to conduct additional RSAs, eg:

• critical milestones
• temporary traffic management during site investigations
• construction/implementation and design
• build projects where there may be a need to conduct them progressively throughout the design process.

In addition, it is recognised that smaller projects may not go through all these stages. In this case, the audit regime needs to match the project's actual development.

Policy for RSAs

The NZTA policy for RSAs is as follows:

• RSAs shall be conducted, at the four key stages listed above, for all new projects on state highways and local roads unless the project manager considers there is reason not to do so. The project manager must give full consideration to the assessment criteria outlined below.
• The project manager may choose to do more safety audits than is prescribed in the four stages.
• Smaller projects will not always follow all the development stages envisaged in the four stages of audit. In these circumstances, the stages of audit shall match the project's actual development stages.
• Safety auditors must be totally independent of the project team and must be appointed separately from the professional services contract for the project development.
• The policy covers all new projects started after 1 July 2004. Projects already started are not covered, although RSAs are strongly recommended for all projects. In this context, ‘started’ means ‘started the planning process’ not ‘started construction/implementation’.

Assessment criteria

The purpose of any assessment criteria is to ensure that the RSA is applied to the projects that have the potential to create road safety problems.

Road safety audit procedures for projects (TFM9, November 2004) provides guidance in relation to road safety audits. Appendix 1 of this guidance includes the assessment criteria and an RSA exception declaration form, and provides RSA checklists.