Introduction

Road Safety Audit is a systematic process for checking the road safety of new schemes on roads. It should be based on sound safety principles and should ensure that all highway schemes operate as safely as is practicable by minimising future collision numbers and severity.

Road Safety Audit provides road safety engineers with an opportunity to feed their experience into the highway design process. Road Safety Audit should improve the awareness of safe design practices by all concerned in the design, construction and maintenance of roads.

Road Safety Audit considers the safety of all road users: in particular, vulnerable road users such as the visually and mobility impaired, cyclists, pedestrians, equestrians, motorcyclists, children and elderly people (Figure 1.1).