Aspects of road safety audits

The procedure of road safety audit (RSA), which originated in Great Britain and is now being spread in several countries around the world, can be incorporated in the framework of designing, constructing, and operating road infrastructure as a means for preventing accidents. RSA, which can be applied to both new and existing road facilities, is typically carried out by an independent team consisting of highway engineers and/or traffic safety experts. The present paper focuses on the possibilities for further enhancing the consideration of human factor-related issues in RSA guidelines. This can be achieved through the incorporation of quantitative checks on consistency or driver work load. Such tests can give more weight to the auditors' reasoning. Moreover, the scope is investigated for providing increased opportunities for road user involvement in the RSA process. Public involvement is examined from the aspect of a group's representation, appropriate RSA stages, effective procedures, and responsibility. The possible means and methods for communication between auditors and road users' representatives are also discussed.