NRA HD19 Road Safety Audit

Safety
EU Directive on Road Infrastructure Safety Management
o EU Directive on Road Infrastructure Safety
Management
o NRA HD15 Network Safety Ranking
o NRA HD16 Temporary Safety Measures Inspection
o NRA HD17 Road Safety Inspections
o NRA HD18 Road Safety Impact Assessment
o NRA HD19 Road Safety Audit
NRA HD19 Road Safety Audit
Road Safety Audit Approvals System
Road Safety Audit Team Approval
Traffic Calming
Road Safety Research
Construction, Health and Safety
Contact Information


NRA HD19 Road Safety Audit
Road Safety Audit (RSA) involves the evaluation of road schemes during design and
construction to identify potential hazards to all road users. While RSA is required under the EU
Directive on Road Infrastructure Safety Management (EU RISM) it has been incorporated into
the NRA Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (NRA DMRB) since 2001. RSA is to be carried
out on all new national road infrastructure projects and on all schemes which result in a
permanent change to the layout of a national road. RSA is also recommended for similar
changes to the local and regional road network. The NRA DMRB describes RSA under NRA
HD19 Road Safety Audit.
The NRA DMRB HD19 Road Safety Audit standard can be downloaded here.
RSA is carried out at different stages of an infrastructure project. RSA is a check for safety
issues within a scheme rather than an identification of non-compliance with design standards.
During RSA the audit team looks at the scheme from the point of view of all road users, with
particular attention being paid to the needs of vulnerable road users. The RSA team identifies
hazards within the scheme and makes recommendations to the designer to mitigate the hazards
or remove them completely.
Road Safety Audit Team
The RSA team is independent of the road design team. The audit team is approved by the
overseeing organisation, which is the NRA in the case of national road schemes. A RSA team
consists of a team leader and at least on additional team member. Click here to download RSA
team qualification requirements from the NRA standards website. Visit the NRA RSA Team
Approval page for more information.
Stages of Road Safety Audit
There are five RSA stages. Some RSA stages may be omitted or combined for minor schemes
or temporary works.
Stage F (Feasibility): Route selection stage
Stage F is carried out before the route is chosen. RSA at this stage will identify safety features
associated with each route option. The RSA team provides a report to the road designer with
recommendations to remove or mitigate hazards.
Stage 1: Completion of preliminary design
The RSA team members examine the plans and any additional information provided. A site visit
is required at this stage. Stage 1 RSA notes safety related features within the design. Similar to
Stage F, the RSA team provides a report with their observations and recommendations to the
road designer.
Stage 2: Completion of detailed design
The detailed designs and additional information are studied by each RSA team member. The
team describes any safety issues and provides a recommendation to the designer for each. A
site visit is also required at this stage. Stages 1 and 2 may be combined together and presented
in the one report for minor schemes.
Stage 3: Completion of construction (generally this takes place prior to opening to traffic)
The RSA team must visit the site for a Stage 3 audit in daylight and darkness. The RSA team
walks, drives and, where appropriate, cycles the scheme to identify potential hazards to all road
users. The RSA team lists the safety related issues of the scheme and recommends actions to
address each one.
Stage 4: Early operation at 2-4 months after road opening
The site must be visited again in daylight and darkness during the Stage 4 audit. At Stage 4 the
RSA team check for road safety issues in light of the behaviour of road users. The team should
watch out for signs of collisions on site. The team once again identifies any hazards on site and
lists them along with their recommendations in the report.
Road Safety Audit Reports and Subsequent Actions
A report is prepared by the team for each stage of RSA. The main body of the audit report
contains descriptions and recommendations for each hazard. The final audit report shall contain:
The Audit Brief
Letter of Approval from NRA approving the Employer to appoint the Audit Team
Audit Report
Designer Response/ Feedback Form
Exception Report if applicable
Director's decision if applicable
The procedures for considering RSA recommendations and preparing the audit report are
outlined in NRA HD19 Road Safety Audit