Road Safety Audits

"A road safety audit is defined as ‘a formal examination of a future road or traffic project or an existing road or road related area, in which an independent, qualified team reports on the project’s crash potential and actual safety performance respectively’.”

- Austroads - Guide to Road Safety Part 6: Road Safety Audit 

Formal examination of a proposed road project or an existing road through the Road Safety Audit process puts Local Governments on the front foot in improving safety and reducing expenditure.

A Road Safety Audit is a formal examination of an existing road or future development’s crash potential and safety performance.

Road works that include a Road Safety Audit during the design and/or development phase can be delivered with the confidence they provide reassurance to all road users that road safety outcomes have been considered and are less likely to need future interventions or upgrades. Maintenance and renewal of the existing road network currently account for around two thirds of total Local Government road expenditure.

Road Safety Audit Policy

To ensure appropriate use of resources, Local Governments are encouraged to develop and adopt a Road Safety Audit Policy. This will set parameters for auditing including when, how, and by who audits will be conducted. For local Road Safety Audits, it is especially important that a Local Government or neighbouring Local Government officer, is on the audit team to provide local knowledge, insights and context.

To assist Local Governments in developing this policy, a Road Safety Audit Policy Template has been developed. The template is supported by WALGA, and its adoption and application are encouraged for all Local Governments in WA. The template is promoted by the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia WA and Main Roads WA Road Safety Audit Panel who are responsible for Road Safety Auditor Training and education in Western Australia.

Further information on Road Safety Audit Policy development is available from the Road Safety Audit Portal.

Road Safety Audit Training and Accreditation

Having a qualified Road Safety Auditor on staff at a Local Government can help ensure that crash potential and safety performance are considered in all local road projects.

The interactive and self-paced learning approach of the courses allow flexibility in learning. Course participants will learn how to identify potential safety issues and implement interventions before actual work begins; a valuable skill for Local Governments who want to reduce both costs, and the risk and severity of crashes in their networks.

On completion of the training, those interested can then begin the process to become an accredited Road Safety Auditor.

For more information about Road Safety Audit Training and Accreditation visit the Road Safety Audit Portal.