Introduction to Road Safety Auditing (RSA)

Paul Hillier ARRB Group Ltd

Day 1 (Friday 9 November 2012)

Transport Community of Practice

ARRB Group & your presenter

ARRB Group Ltd

Formerly Australian Road Research Board 50 years old in 2011 Not for profit, government owned 250+ staff Trusted advisor to Australian road authorities Research of national importance for which member authorities have a common need Safety, traffic management, road design, parking, transport economics, asset management, pavements, road surfacing International developed & developing countries
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ARRB Members

About your presenter Paul Hillier

Over 23 years experience in highway network management & maintenance Originally from UK, emigrated to Australia in 2000 Has worked in public and private sector For last 13 years concerned with risks and hazards on road networks their detection & mitigation One of ARRBs National Technical Leaders Author, presenter, trainer Numerous international projects (inc. ADB, WB etc.) Married with 3 children (11,8 and 7) Sports fanatic
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The program for Day 1

Day 1 (of 2)
There will be 3 sessions: An introduction to RSA (1300hrs 1400hrs) RSA 101 (1400hrs 1445hrs) Break RSA 101 (1500hrs - 1530hrs) Risks / hazards: their management & mitigation (1530hrs 1655hrs) Wrap up & Day 2 preview (1655hrs - 1700hrs) CLOSE
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Objectives of training

Training objectives

The training will provide / cover:

Context - how RSAs fit into the overall road safety effort Awareness of what an RSA is and costs / benefits Knowledge how to conduct an RSA & manage risk Application how this fits with ADB cycles & initiatives Experience - through both case studies & exercises

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Style Practical focus Using visual e.gs & case studies wherever possible Mixed audience not all engineers, different experience and needs, but trying to provide something useful for everyone even if just a recap Active participation (especially group exercises)

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Session 1 an introduction to RS Auditing

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Day 1, Session 1 An introduction to RSA A practical introduction to risks / hazards How do we define a risk/hazard in simple terms? How network managers find out about risks on their network and where RSA fits in The Safe System and RSA ADB interest in RSA Cost / benefits of RSA Any questions?

An Introduction to Road Related Risks and Hazards

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What did we learn?

Keep it simple! Dont be afraid to say the obvious - what you see First impressions often very important

Use your experience as a road user Establish who the primary road users are
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How Road Network Managers Find Out About Risks and Hazards On Their Networks

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What has been successful?

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What has been successful?

ROAD SAFETY AUDIT

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Where does RSA Fit Into The Safe System Approach?

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A Safe Road System

Decade Action Plan
Five pillars for a Safe System approach

Road safety
management

Build safer roads

Build safer vehicles

Safer user behaviour

Improve post-crash

care

www.who.int/roadsafety/decade_of_action/
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RSA in the Safe System

Specific ADB Interest in Road Safety Auditing

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Specific ADB interest in RSA

Outlined in multiple documents: Safety on the Roads Joining Forces to Save Lives
(signatory, Nov 2009) Collaboration of seven (7) development banks (inc. ADB) Safe System (systematic) approach Four broad categories of action, one of which is
implementing safety approaches in the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of road infrastructure projects

and includes: ensuring that safety is integrated in all phases. (as above)
promote the adoption of good practice, proactive approaches to improve the safety of road infrastructure including the use of road safety audits, road safety inspections and road safety impact assessments

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Specific ADB interest in RSA

Mainstreaming RS in ADB Operations - Action Plan
(Jan 2012) + associated presentation by Oleg Tonkonojenkov Identifies the being of 129 measures in 10 different areas of road safety including road safety audits Identifies issues in delivery of ADB road projects, mainly related to lack of systemic approach and specifically:
implementation of road safety support is often less effective because of limitations in the design of components and insufficient use of available tools such as road safety audits

Key action areas include strengthening ADB internal road safety capabilities, including provision of more detailed guidance and ToR needed by operations staff Action Plan 2012 inc. training in RSA and iRAP

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Specific ADB interest in RSA

ADB Supported Road Safety Actions
(presentation by Jeff Miller ADB, Mar 2012)

On-going and future activities identified in detail Many individual locations, plus regional actions (e.g. Improving Road Safety in ASEAN) Road Safety Action Plan (RSAP) 7 key areas

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Specific ADB interest in RSA

Road Safety Action Plan (April 2012)
road safety audits reduce annual fatal and injury crash frequency

Integration of road safety into the project cycle Mainstreaming road safety ADB established a funded Road Safety Group Implementation of road safety measures Adopting existing (successful) tools and processes Structured Action Plan (first 2-3 years focus on capacity building, including RS management and engineering) Towards stand alone road safety investment in all projects

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Specific WB interest in RSA

World Bank also encouraging RSA:

Most recently - press release 29 September 2012 Road Safety Audits Can Improve Road Safety Refers to WB case study from China Strengthening the Use of RSA by Deng, Jordan and Goodge (Aug 2012) Five action steps recommended:
Develop a comprehensive national audit standard Improve the technical guidelines for RSA Develop provincial RSA policies Provide training on RSA to project managers and auditors Establish an accreditation system

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The Benefits and Costs of Road Safety Auditing

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Benefits of RSA (1)

safer new highways through crash prevention and crash severity reduction safer road networks more uniform road environment that is more easily understood by road users reduced whole of life costs

providing one component of local and state crash reduction targets

a reduced need to modify new schemes after they are built
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Benefits of RSA (2)

eventual safety improvements to standards and procedures more explicit consideration of traffic mix and the safety needs of vulnerable road users the encouragement of other personnel in road safety better understanding and documentation of road safety engineering
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Cost of auditing road designs

For a large scale project, typically 4-10% of the road design costs (but can be much less) Which is typically about 0.5% of total project costs for larger projects the cost of rectifying any inadequacies depends on how early in the design process they are identified and the consequent amount of redundant design time..

The earlier the better !

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Compared with the cost of crashes?

Hard to quantify..India estimates cost of fatals = US$65bn per year?? iRAP use 70 x GDP/person In Australia the monetary cost of road traffic incidents on a public road (cost to society) are often taken as: Fatal = AUD$ 2.4 million [Approx 1,400 deaths of Australias roads per annum] (Profound impairment $ 3.82 million) Serious Injury $ 0.214 million
(BITRE, 2008. $ in 2006 equivalent)

Also think of the many other components to that cost !! (not just $$)

Prevention is definitely better than cure!

Cost Benefits

Lots of studies! e.g. for findings from existing RSA:

analysis of a range of existing RSAs indicated BCRs of implementing the proposed actions between 2.4:1 and 84:1

BCRs of individual proposed actions 0.003:1 and 460:1

over 78% of all proposed actions had BCRs > 1.0
(Source: AustRoads Report prepared by ARRB Ap-R209 2002)

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Cost Benefits

Another example, on average:

36:1 benefit for design stage audits 6:1 benefit for existing road audits
(ref. within World Bank paper by Deng et al. 2012)

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Any Questions?

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Session 2 RS Auditing 101

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Day 1, Session 2 RSA 101 RSA what and why? Technical standards guarantee of safety Definition / objectives of RSA (what it is & isnt !) Stages of RSA (& ADB cycle) How to the steps / use of checklists etc. The audit team Reporting and record keeping Any questions?

RSAs Why And What?

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Road Safety Audit?

What is it ?
Why do we need it ?

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What is safety audit?

a formal check

systematic, evidence-based
auditors typically include experienced road safety and traffic management engineers auditors are independent of the designers safety recommendations are set out in an audit report final decision should rest with the client project manager
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Why are safety audits needed ?

Experience is that new roads are not always as safe as they should or can be, because:
potential safety problems are often overlooked during design, or over reliance on technical standards and/or technical standards do not match up / work together well (more later) quality/experience of designers

Designing a road is hard !

there are many factors to consider . does the designer have all the factors / local issues? can we expect the designer to address everything?

Our insurance - much easier (& cheaper!) to change a design than have to change the road once it is built.
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Aims of Road Safety Audit

to ensure all highway schemes operate as safely as practically possible to minimise casualty numbers and severity (not necessarily the same thing) to consider the safety of all road users especially vulnerable road users and where traffic is mixed to improve the awareness of safe design practices by design, construction and maintenance staff

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Road Safety Audit is NOT

an opportunity to redesign a scheme a technical check on the designers competence a technical compliance audit design standards/structural safety check

an assessment of the merits (or otherwise) of the scheme

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Technical standards
Standards dont necessarily guarantee safety
they are an important starting point their correct application would remove many hazards combinations of minimum (but acceptable) standards can still result in an unsafe road

Often a failure to apply basic national/state/local standards, e.g.

signs and markings parking road design road construction specifications
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An example. combining standards

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Mountain terrain

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Design Speed 120 km/h

60 km/h

120 km/h

Base case

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60 120

Mountain terrain

120 120

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Design Speed 120 km/h

60 km/h

120 km/h

Option 1 Speed signs

Complies with standards, but is it safe???

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Mountain terrain

120 120

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Design Speed 120 km/h

60 km/h

120 km/h

Option 2 Transition the speed signs

Complies with standards, is it safer?

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100

80

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Mountain terrain

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Transition zone Design Speed 120 km/h 60 km/h

Transition zone 120 km/h

Option 3 Transition the road alignment

Much safer !!!

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What Can Be Audited?

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What can be audited ?

all works that involve new road/ highway construction

permanent changes to existing highway layout/ features

major and minor highway schemes

traffic management schemes

development schemes

highway maintenance schemes

temporary traffic management schemes

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RSA can be conducted on:

new freeways major divided roads reconstruction and realignment projects intersection projects pedestrian and bicycle routes deviated local roads near major projects local area traffic management schemes and their components signal upgrading subdivision proposals crash reduction schemes safe routes to school projects maintenance with improvement activities
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Possible Stages of RSA (and the ADB cycle)

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When to audit ?

at the Feasibility stage (also linked to audits of land use adjacent to highway example coming) once the Preliminary Design has been developed once the Detailed Design stage is complete at the Pre-opening stage (or soon after the construction is complete)
continued
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When to audit ?
Roadwork Traffic Schemes required during construction of significant / large / complex projects on the Existing Road network (nb. also known as a road safety assessment or road safety review) Thematic audits [road user group, PWD (Disability Discrimination) & gender audits?]

Maintainability audits
(Audits due to a specific trigger e.g. crash, crash study, public and/or media concern etc, etc.)
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When to audit ?

Interim audits? (might be less formal)

during a lengthy/complex design process?

conducted in the same format as feasibility/prelim/detailed design audits

not mandatory not a substitute for the formal stages

(thematic and maintainability audits)

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Summary.. Audit at all stages, if possible!

Has cost implications Possible options:

Mandatory? (ring fence funds) Audit on project size? Audit on project cost?

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Ref. RMS of NSW

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The Stages of RSA in More Detail

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(feasibility)

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Feasibility Stage

Considerations: appropriate concept? route choice intersection numbers, locations, spacing

what standards?
impacts on nearby network

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Split Development

One Sided Development

Residential area is separated from school and working places by a major road. Workers and students have to cross the road

All development on the same side of the major road removes the need for regular crossings

Planning/feasibility stage

Rat running

Solution!
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Feasibility stage RSA

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Interchange located to save bridge costs: bridge pier becomes a gore ultimately needs protection !

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89 Source: Austroads Guide AGRS06-09, prepared by ARRB

Preliminary Design Stage

Considerations:
horizontal/vertical alignment intersection layouts

sight lines
roadside?

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Detailed Design Stage

Considerations:
signs & lines lighting signals roadside crash protection

intersection details
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Design Audit Should Have Picked Up...

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Design audit should have picked up.

Tight off-ramp, sloping gore area

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Example of Detailed Design RSA

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Designing for Road safety

Follow respected general principles! Use appropriate design vehicles Have an understanding of likely traffic volumes and traffic composition Understand limitations of design software e.g. using correct tool, impact of accuracy of inputs and assumptions, check of outputs (right ballpark?)

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Designing for road safety

Horizontal geometry R
min

V2 127 (n + f)

where : R min = minimum radius of circular curve (m) V = vehicle speed km/h n = superelevation m/m f = coefficient of side friction

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Designing for road safety

Horizontal sight distance
available sight distance should be greater than the stopping distance of the design vehicle

SSD =

Rt V 3.6

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where : SSD = safe stopping distance (m) Rt = reaction time (s) [2.0-2.5 s] V = vehicle speed (km/h) d = coefficient of longitudinal deceleration g = longitudinal grade (%)

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Designing for road safety

Vertical geometry
avoid crests and dips, wherever possible avoid horizontal curves on crests, wherever possible

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Designing for road safety

Width
appropriate not too narrow and not too wide

Keep water off the road - good cross-fall and take water away (use natural drainage if possible) Appropriate signage / delineation etc Avoid / minimise roadside hazards, or protect them

Good running surface (in good conditions)

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Designing for Road Safety Intersections

Good principles:
1.Preference should always be given to three-way over four-way intersections, T or staggered T not X 2.Favour direction of major traffic flow 3.Accommodate the largest design vehicle expected to regularly use the road 4.Intersections should be positioned in safe locations away from horizontal and vertical alignment changes 5.The terminating road should be positioned at 90 degrees to the through road to allow for maximum sight distance, i.e. T not Y
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Designing for road safety Intersections

Design principles
(all roads)

6. Give Way signage preferred. STOP signs should only be installed if the required sight distance cannot be achieved (or crash history) (see next slide)

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Intersection sight distance

Safe intersection stopping distance
Distance for a driver on the through road to observe a vehicle on a minor road approach moving into a collision situation and to decelerate to a stop before reaching the collision point

SISD=

Dt V 3.6

254 (d+0.01g)

where : SISD = safe intersection stopping distance (m) Dt = decision time (s) [2.0-2.5 + 3 s] V = vehicle speed (km/h) d = coefficient of longitudinal deceleration g = longitudinal grade (%)
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Designing for road safety Intersections

Design principles
(all roads)

7. The minor approach roads should be constructed on a flat area for the minimum length of the longest vehicles that will use the intersection 8.Locate intersections with thought

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Designing for road safety Intersections

address any changes in traffic priority by changing the alignment of an intersection and not by relocating/installing signage

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Construction (Roadworks) Audit

Considerations:
staging

changes & interim layouts

signs & lines, lighting

temporary barriers
readability

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Ad-hoc signs posted in construction zones

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Before RSA exposed hazard

After RSA

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Pre-opening Stage
Considerations:

the effectiveness & correctness of:

signs & lines landscaping crash protection readability of the road

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Some problems may not be obvious on a plan

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View from the side road

Bicycles

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Pre-opening audit

Sign designed & installed incorrectly; arrows are not aligned over the lanes to which they apply
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Dont Forget Your Night Audit !!!

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Audit of Existing Roads (nb. a.k.a)

Considerations:
the level of safety, considering the function of the road
Multiple issues:
roadside hazards
readability of road

delineation
signs

A few examples here, many more later in Day 1

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Dont Forget Your Night Audit !!!

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Minimum Requirements??
(ref. RMS of NSW, Aus)

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RSA And The ADB cycle

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Stages in the ADB project cycle

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How Do We Do This? The Steps In Conducting An RSA (inc. the use of checklists)

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Agree Brief

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Ref. Austroads 2009

The Brief (ToR) For An RSA

Source: NSW RTA

Needs to specify:
project details RSA guideline/procedure to be followed auditor qualifications/accreditation / experience (required for lead and team member/s) type of audit to be performed reporting requirements
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Typical Brief (ToR) For An RSA

Source: NSW RTA

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Typical Brief (ToR) For An RSA

Source: NSW RTA

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Typical Brief (ToR) For An RSA

local

Source: NSW RTA

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Checklists

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Checklists
Myriad of checklists available Typically extensive Cover wide range of issues (but not all?) A help / guide (especially for less experienced auditors to ensure all road user groups considered), but no substitute for experience by doing and mentoring Disadvantages (?): makes audit very mechanical and rigid need to think about the whole road system need to think like a road user can prompt finding a problem for a solution
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Ref. Austroads (2009)

The Key Players & The Audit Team

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The Key Players and Audit Team

Client (sponsor) / project manager

Designer
Audit Team:

independent of the design team

at least two people lead and team member/s relevant experience & training (and accreditation?) co-opt / call in other specialisms as needed
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Auditor qualifications (typical)

road safety / traffic management engineering experience essential 5 years absolute minimum 10+ years desirable RS auditor accreditation requirements? experience needed is relative to role in the team (lead, team member) experience based on the type of project experience in developed and developing countries?

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Reporting And Recordkeeping

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Typical Report Contents

cover / title page

introduction / background on scheme (audit details)

observations: risks / hazards observed & their location

reasons for concern: narrative (description), supported with pictures to help others appreciate the issue
prioritisation(?): e.g. essential, highly desirable and desirable or H,M,L system, red, amber, green system recommendations(?): suggested RS / TM engineering mitigation measure/s for each observed risk / hazard

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Typical Report Content

Signed statement by auditors Often tabulated component, with spaces for responses from:
designer? project manager ultimate decision by client / owner?

ADB report format (inc. table) examined in Day 2

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Recordkeeping

Essential (inc. legal concerns?) Need to retain:

RSA working file/s (inc. photos / video) Retention of RSA report (inc. CAR & responses) Action Plan Scheme evaluation(?)

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Any Questions?

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Session 3 Risks / Hazards & Their Management And Mitigation

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Day 1, Session 3 Risks and Hazards their management and mitigation Identifying risks / hazards (practical exercise) How do we succinctly and usefully define risks / hazards and mitigation options Responses to RSA reports Managing risks/hazards identified: to mitigate or not? Mitigation options and their returns Any questions? Looking ahead to Day 2

Identifying Risks/Hazards & Defining Them

(focus on RSA of existing roads design RSA on Day 2)

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Pedestrian facility

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Wide carriageway no central refuge

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Unauthorised median openings

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Geometry - high speed road

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Geometry - high speed road

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Unprotected drop upper to lower carriageways

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Freeway without shoulders

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Deficient design/implementation

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Uncontrolled Linear Development

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Bus stop used as a cycle rickshaw stand

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Traffic control & management

Animal traffic 170

Two-wheelers

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Two-wheelers

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TRAFFIC MOVING ON WRONG SIDE

Wrong way traffic (UAE)

Unmarked barrier hazards

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Roadside hazards - Dubai

Safety barriers

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Barrier ends

Roadside hazards light poles

Light poles located within the clear zone pose a hazard.

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Barrier hazard/objects in clear zone

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TREE ON CARRIAGEWAY - HAZARD

Non Standard Signs (Permitted U-turn)

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Non Standard Signs (Prohibited U-turn)

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Conflicting speed signs

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Erroneous traffic control & management

Stop signs incorrectly placed Crossing sign with overbridge also provided

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So How Did We Define The Risk / Hazard?

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Think of the Ws
What is the risk / hazard? Where is it? What might it lead to (or cause)? What would be the end result/s (outcomes)? When does this risk/hazard apply? (e.g. time of day, direction of travel) What road user group/s will be affected? (What can be done about it?)

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Teamwork is important ..
Do you see what I see? Acknowledge different K,S,E Respect views of others Work through any differences

If in doubt can always photograph a situation and discuss / seek further advice regarding technical standards etc.

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Lack of Spatial Awareness When Auditing ?

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Responding To An RSA Report

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Responding To An RSA Report

Austroads, 2009

?????
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To Mitigate Or Not?

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To Mitigate Or Not?

Ref. Austroads, 2009

Risk Management !
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Risk Matrix?
Risk Rating Scores
Frequency Severity Fatal or very serious injuries (Extreme) Score 4 Less severe serious injuries (severe) Score 3 Slight Injury (Minor) Score 2 More than once a year (probable) Score 4 Between 1-3 years (Possible) Score 3 Between 3-7 years (Remote) Score 2 Between 7-20 years (Improbable) Score 1

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Damage Only (Negligible) Score 1

Risk score = Frequency score x Severity Score A risk score of 1-3 is 'low' risk A risk score of 4-6 is 'medium risk A risk score above 6 is 'high' risk

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To Mitigate or Not?
Internal process (by the client)
review and risk assessment of recommendations prioritisation action plan formal response in the CAR

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To Mitigate Or Not?
When a client receives an audit report:
look beyond the recommendations identify any limitations to auditors appreciation for operational conditions consider the findings and the underlying safety concerns (i.e. the intent of the report)

Client may develop alternative mitigation measures, if justified, but must have and document reasons / rationale !!

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To Mitigate or Not?
Why recommendations do not get implemented?
save money (make profit) / financial pressures other more urgent issues change of management (i.e. forgotten) responsibility for audit stages not defined operational reasons alternative solutions nothings happened yet! / itll never happen here (i.e. poor risk management) hiding behind monitoring (we will continue to monitor)

other?
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Mitigation Options and Their Expected Returns

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Mitigation Options
Hierarchy of Controls
Least effective
PPE

Lower costs / complexity

Procedural

Engineering

Substitution
Most effective

Elimination

Higher costs / complexity

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Expected Returns Lots of research from developed world % crash reduction factors for measures (CRFs) Crash Modification Factors (CMFs)
Very recent OECD International Transport Forum document International framework for CMFs Aim to develop local, reliable CMFs!
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Selected mitigation treatment types

Delineation Signage Pedestrian Traffic Management Intersection Road geometry and design

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Treatment

Environment

Crash Reduction Factor (CRF)

5% 25% 10% 20% 30% 20% (all) 40% (ROR) 15% (all) 30% (head on) 25% 40% 20% (peds) 60% (peds, night) 45% (peds)
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Crash Modification Factor (CMF)

0.95 0.75 0.90 0.80 0.70 0.8 (all) 0.6 (ROR) 0.85 (all) 0.7 (head on) 0.75 0.6 0.8 (peds) 0.4 (peds, night) 0.55 (peds)

Confidence

Install guideposts Install CAMs Pavement markings

All Curves Edge Lines Centrelines Edge and centre lines

Low Low Low Low Low Medium Low Medium Low High Low Medium Medium Medium

Profile line markings

Edge lines Centre lines

Install curve warnings Speed advisory Install pedestrian fencing / barriers Improved lighting Provide refuge

Curves Curves All All All

Treatment

Environment

Crash Reduction Factor (CRF)

50% (night) 40% (night) 30% (night) 30% (night) 30-35% 15% 25% 40% 30% 30%
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Crash Modification Factor (CMF)

0.5 (night) 0.6 (night) 0.7 (night) 0.7 (night) 0.65-0.7 0.85 0.75 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.65

Confidence

New lighting

Intersections Mid-block Rural intersections Urban intersections

High High Medium Low Medium Low Low Low Medium High Low

Channelisation at intersections

Splitter islands Mountable median Non-mountable median

Install turning lanes

Rural T intersection Rural + intersection Painted Physical (solid)

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iRAP toolkit (www.toolkit.irap.org)

Focus on developing world Gives treatment options for many common crash scenarios (all road users) Use of photos Data on effectiveness (crash reduction), cost and longevity of treatments Implementation issues and guidance References
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Linear villages guidance

WHO Pedestrian Manual PIARC journal
Technical Committee C1 (Safer Road Infrastructure) Vollpacht Diallo

Netherlands

DfID, UK

Linear settlements and safety issues along highways in India by Sharma et al

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The golden rule

Do no harm! We should never consciously set out to make a situation or position worse!!

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But, remember .

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But, remember .

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But, remember ..

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Any Questions?

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Looking Ahead To Day 2

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Day 2 Sessions 4,5 and 6 Session 4 evaluation, capacity building, where to get guidance & toolkits, ADB protocols Session 5 conceptual / preliminary design case study & practical group exercise Session 6 Existing road RSA: practical exercise
0845hrs for a prompt 0900hrs start please! Hi-vis vest, hat, sunscreen, folder/pad/pens Casual dress?
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Wrap Up Of Day 1

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Close

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Thank you!

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