Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Acknowledgements
The Manual has been prepared by the ADM road safety Unit (lead for this task) on behalf of the Road Safety Committee
for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The document was reviewed by the Engineering Group sub-committee and the following
members of the committee were involved in the review process:
Al-Ain Municipality:
Eng David George, Road Safety Specialist
Department of Transport:
Eng John Aldridge Road Safety Specialist
Our special and sincere thanks to Mr Christopher Kettell - Road Safety Specialist (Transport Research Laboratory - on
secondment to Abu Dhabi Municipality) for his authorship, efforts, coordination and dedication in developing the manual
for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Additional thanks are given to Mr John Smart BSc, CEng, FCIHT, MICE, Director of Professional & Business Development
at the Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (UK) for peer reviewing the document.
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Table of Contents
1 Introduction .......................................................................................................5
1.1 General 5
1.2 Scope of this Manual 5
1.3 Development of the Manual. 5
2 Definitions ..........................................................................................................6
3 Road Safety Auditors Training and Experience ...................................................9
3.1 Scope 9
3.2 The Audit Team. 9
3.3 Audit Team Leader. 9
3.4 Audit Team Member. 9
3.5 Audit Team Observer. 9
3.6 Specialist Advisors 9
4 Audit Stages .....................................................................................................10
4.1 Introduction 10
4.2 Feasibility Stage Road Safety Audits -Stage 0 10
4.3 Interim Audits (Any Stage) 11
4.4 Preliminary Design Stage Audits (Stage 1) 11
4.5 Detailed Design Stage Audit (Stage 2) 12
4.6 Opening Stage Audit (Stage 3) 12
4.7 Post Construction Monitoring (Stage 4a/b) 14
4.8 Temporary Traffic Management (work zone) Audit 14
4.9 Scope 15
4.10 Relationship between the Work Zone Traffic Management Plan and Safety Audit 15
4.11 Planning 15
4.12 Safety Audit Review Report 15
4.13 Dangerous Defects Notification / Order to Cease Works 15
5 Road Safety Audit Procedure ............................................................................16
5.1 Overview 16
5.2 Scope of the Audit 17
5.3 When & What to Audit 17
5.4 Design Changes / Audit Shelf Life 18
5.5 Appointment of the Road Safety Audit Team 18
5.6 Independence of the Road Safety Audit Team 19
5.7 Initiating the Audit 20
5.8 Approval of the Audit Team 21
5.9 Audit Management 21
5.10 The Audit brief 21
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1 Introduction 1.3 Development of the Manual.
1.3.1 This Manual is a combination of existing
1.1 General practice within Abu Dhabi Municipality and
the Department of Transport which have
1.1.1 Road Safety is of paramount importance to
previously compiled best international
the Department of Municipal Affairs, the
practice for Road Safety Audits in the United
Municipalities, Abu Dhabi Police, Department
Kingdom, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the
of Transport and other stakeholders.
Middle East (Dubai) and North America.
1.1.2 The primary purpose of carrying out safety
1.3.2 This Manual has been prepared specifically
audits is to ensure that any changes carried
with local conditions in mind.
out on the highway do not include features, or
combination of features, that may contribute
to any type of future potential conflicts
between road users and offer advice to
minimise the likelihood of them occurring.
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2.1.23 Road Safety Engineering: The design 2.1.29 Stage 3 - Construction Opening shall be
and implementation of physical undertaken at the substantial
changes to the road network intended completion of the project preferably
to reduce the number and severity of before the road project is opened to
crashes involving road users, based on traffic (Pre Opening Stage - 3a). Where
the results of crash investigations. it is not feasible to undertake the audit
prior to opening, it can be completed
2.1.24 Road Users: All persons located within either as a phased or complete opening
the road reserve, irrespective of the as a Stage 3b, within two weeks of
purpose of their trip or mode of opening but before handover.
transport. They include the visually and
mobility impaired (e.g. wheel chair 2.1.30 Stage 4a - 12 months monitoring can
users). be undertaken on the 12 month
anniversary of a schemes opening. This
will involve a check on the number of
resulted crashes and the locations that
they have occurred so that any
problems can be identified and
remedial works undertaken.
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3.2.3 The appointment of the RSA team shall be at c) Attendance of a 10-day recognised Collision
the discretion of the relevant roads authority, Investigation or Road Safety Engineering
as to the appropriateness of an individual(s) course; and
nominated to conduct the RSA for a particular
scheme. A road safety audit submitted by a d) A minimum of 2 days CPD in the fields of Road
consultant or developer where the team was Safety Audit, Collision Investigation or Road
not approved by the relevant roads authority Safety Engineering in the past 12 months.
will be rejected.
f) And be able to demonstrate that they have a
3.2.4 Road Safety Auditors who audit full time to well rounded knowledge of Highway Design.
the exclusion of other crash investigations /
road safety engineering work are 3.5 Audit Team Observer.
unacceptable.
3.5.1 The Audit Team Observer must have:
3.3 Audit Team Leader.
3.5.2 A minimum of 1 years Collision
3.3.1 The Audit Team Leader must be able to Investigation or Road Safety Engineering
demonstrate the following levels of Experience; and
experience:
3.5.3 A minimum of 2 days CPD in the fields of Road
a) A minimum of 5 years Collision Safety Audit, Collision Investigation or Road
Investigation or Road Safety Safety Engineering in the past 12 months.
Engineering experience; and
3.5.4 An interest or willingness to learn about road
b) Attendance of a 10-day recognised safety audit
Collision Investigation or Road Safety
Engineering course; and 3.6 Specialist Advisors
c) Completion of at least 5 Road Safety 3.6.1 Whilst there are no specific requirements for
Audits in the past 12 months as an the specialist advisor, it will be at the
Audit Team Leader or member; and discretion of the Design Organisation and
Audit Team if it is considered that the scheme
has a number of complex features requiring a
specialist to be included as part of the audit
team.
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4.5 Detailed Design Stage Audit 4.5.4 The Audit Team will need to consider
how these aspects of the design will
(Stage 2) affect the operation of the road project
4.5.1 The Detailed Design Stage Audit should be for all the different road user groups
conducted before completion of the final likely to use it. The base map will show
design drawings for the construction of a road significant detail of vertical contours,
project. This stage of audit provides the last existing roads, structures, vegetation
opportunity to change the design before and property boundaries at an even
actual construction of the road commences. larger scale than for the preliminary
Land acquisition may have been finalized by design drawings. Intersections and
this stage and this will prevent the Audit Team interchanges will also be shown at a
from making any recommendations involving larger scale (typically 1:500, 1:200 or
significant changes to road alignment or road larger).
footprint. The Stage 2 Audit is concerned with
4.5.5 The Stage 2 Audit should include a
the more detailed aspects of the road project.
review of the issues raised in the Stage
4.5.2 All Audit Team Members must examine the 1 Audit report. Any issues that have not
site together during the Detailed Design Stage. been satisfactorily resolved from the
Stage 1 Audit should be reiterated in
4.5.3 Drawings at the Detailed Design Stage will the Stage 2 Audit report.
show significant detail, as follows:
4.6 Opening Stage Audit
Horizontal and vertical alignment: (Stage 3)
drawings showing the alignment and
vertical profile 4.6.1 The Opening Stage Audit should be
undertaken when the road project is
Cross section: number and width of substantially complete and preferably
lanes, shoulders, drainage, curbs and before the road project is opened to
gutters, boulevards, medians, traffic (i.e. Pre-Opening Stage or Stage
sidewalks, clear zone, roadside 3). This is to minimise potential risk to
barriers, significant roadside road users and the difficulty that would
structures, and potential roadside be experienced by Audit Teams in
hazards traversing the site when open to traffic.
However when a pre-opening site visit
Intersection layout: including all
is carried out a post-opening visit will
traffic control devices, signs,
also be required so that the road safety
pavement markings, number of lanes
audit team can observe actual human
on each approach, medians, and
behaviour on the new scheme.
channelization
4.6.2 Where a pre-opening RSA is not
Interchange layout: including advance feasible, this may result in the audit
and exit direction signs, length and being carried out a short time after
width of acceleration/deceleration opening or in phases where a project is
lanes, delineation, gore area subject to phased completion and
treatments, and roadside barriers opening.
Other details: driveway accesses,
landscaping and traffic calming
devices, illumination, signs, marking,
and delineation
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4.6.5 In addition to inviting the Police, at the 4.6.8 Since the road will have been built in its
Stage 3 Road Safety Audit consideration entirety, it is unlikely to be feasible for
should be given to inviting the the Client or Design Team to implement
following to both the day time and recommendations identified by the
night time site visits: Audit Team which concern physical
changes to the cross section, layout, or
A representative from the alignment of the roadway.
relevant road authority who is Nevertheless, all identified problems
familiar with traffic control should be reported in the road safety
devices – they may be aware of audit report.
maintenance issues that
restrict/prevent the 4.6.9 It is however likely that the Audit Team
implementation of safety will tend to identify problems and make
measures the auditors may wish proportional and viable
to recommend (for example the recommendations which will focus on
need to retain access for service factors such as changes to illumination,
vehicles within an intersection). signage, delineation, pavement
Alternatively, the representative markings, roadside barriers, removal of
may need to be made aware of fixed object hazards, or on minor
any issue that needs continued structural changes (i.e. addition of a
attention to prevent it becoming wheelchair ramp).
a safety issue (for example,
vegetation close to or within the 4.6.10 Issues raised in the Stage 2 Audit report
visibility splay of an access). should also be reviewed at the Stage 3
Road Safety Audit. Any issues that have
not been satisfactorily resolved from
the Stage 2 Audit should be reiterated
in the Stage 3 Audit report.
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4.11 Planning
4.9 Scope 4.11.1 The road safety audit of temporary
traffic management is not intended to
4.9.1 Road Safety Audit of traffic management be a technical check of the proposed
projects (road works) should be undertaken on work zone traffic management
large or exceptionally complex traffic (however from time to time it will be
management projects that involve temporary necessary to touch upon a technical or
changes to the layout and operation of design element to fully explain a
junctions, or realignment of roads that will problem) nor to replace any approvals
affect the network for considerable periods of process in place at the relevant
time, i.e. 6 months or more. Examples of such highway authority. It asks the question
projects include installation of a temporary "is it safe"?
roundabout junction or a diversion using a
length of temporary carriageway to allow 4.11.2 The audit will consider the following
major excavation on a main carriageway. elements, but is not limited to:
4.9.2 The Road Safety Audit of traffic management a) Layout in relation to the highway
projects should involve an assessment of the b) Driver and advanced warning
proposed drawings for each different c) Delineation devices (including
configuration or staging of traffic, before they barrier, road markings etc)
are implemented. If necessary, the site should d) Signing
be inspected, taking note of any existing e) Miscellaneous devices
features that will need to be covered or
removed (e.g. traffic signs and lane markings, 4.12 Safety Audit Review
and reflective road studs) or shielded (e.g. Report
roadside hazards that will be close to traffic).
4.12.1 The report will follow the same format
4.9.3 The Road Safety Audit of temporary traffic of a stage 3 road safety audit and
management does not absolve the contractor contain the information as set out
or consultant of any responsibility for safe within Para 5.14 (Compile / issue audit
working arrangements. report).
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Submit to Client
Relevant Road and Design Team
Authority
Design Team
Key to process
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5.3 When & What to Audit 5.3.5 Each of these audit stages above are
discussed in depth in Chapter 5.
5.3.1 All road projects must be audited at all stages
of design and construction. If an audit is not 5.3.6 See Chapter 6 for further information
undertaken at all stages, approval must be about Road Safety Auditing of Temporary
sought from the relevant roads authority (DoT Traffic Management projects.
or Municipality).
5.3.7 With Design and Build road projects, design
5.3.2 For example, where a road project is of such a work is an ongoing process throughout the
small scale that no feasibility or conceptual period of the project and completion of the
design has been necessary and the project has works is often staged. As a result it is often
progressed directly to preliminary design (such not possible to undertake audits at discrete
as in the case of minor new roads and points during the design and construction of
major/minor rehabilitation retrofit schemes), the project. The Feasibility Stage Audit is
the audit process can progress immediately to generally undertaken on the conceptual
Audit Stage 1 (i.e. Feasibility Stage Audit can design (for the whole project in one go) prior
be omitted), at the discretion of the relevant to tender, with the Stage 2 Road Safety Audit
road authority. undertaken on final design by the incumbent
consultant/contractor (i.e. post-tender) as the
design stages are completed.
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5.4 Design Changes / Audit Shelf 5.5.4 The relevant roads authority should be
satisfied as to the independence and
Life competence of the team to undertake the
5.4.1 Stage 1, combined Stage 1/2 and Stage 2 audit. Members of the Road Safety Audit
Audits shall be repeated if the scheme design Team should demonstrate their
materially changes or if the previous audit for competence by means of Curriculum Vitae
the relevant stage is more than 2 years old. and Continuing Professional Development
record.
5.4.2 In the case of minor changes to a Highway
Improvement Scheme then the re-audit 5.5.5 Approvals are project and stage specific
should only be concerned with the elements and the use of personnel or organisations
of the scheme that have been changed. on previous Road Safety Audit work does
not guarantee their suitability to audit
5.4.3 If the design of the Highway Improvement other Projects.
Scheme is changed during the construction
period, then the elements of the scheme that 5.5.6 Experience should be relevant to the type
have been redesigned shall be resubmitted for and complexity of Project being audited
a Stage 2 Road Safety Audit prior to and be inline with the requirements as set
construction. out within Chapter 3 of this manual.
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5.6 Independence of the Road 1. Audit. The teams are permitted to meet if
considered necessary to enable the Design
Safety Audit Team Team to explain their designs and the Audit
5.6.1 It is central to the auditing procedures that no Team to explain any identified problems and
member of the Audit Team has had any recommendations. This meeting should be
connection with the design of the measures chaired by the Client;
being audited and should maintain this
2. Audit Teams shall report in the format
independence throughout the audit process.
illustrated in the report in Annex C;
5.6.2 The requirement for Audit Team
3. Audit Teams shall limit their reports to
independence does not preclude direct
matters within the scope of this Standard;
contact between the Audit Team and Design
Team. 4. Minutes of meetings shall be recorded
5.6.3 There may be times where there is clear 5. All communications between the teams
benefit in allowing this to happen, for example including design submissions, interim audit
in clarifying the Audit Brief. Alternatively, reports and minutes of meetings must be
direct contact may be unavoidable if the Client submitted to the Client and copies recorded
Organisation and Design Organisation are one on an Interim Road Safety Audit File.
and the same. It is of paramount importance,
however, that the Audit Team maintains its 6. The Audit Team is responsible for
independence. The Design Team should not in maintaining the file and delivering it to the
any way influence the outcome of the audit by Client at the completion of the preliminary
discussing any design considerations or issues or detailed design;
with the Audit Team.
7. Road Safety Audits at Stages 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4
5.6.4 Generally the Audit Team should not go shall still be carried out and reported.
beyond making recommendations in broad
terms.
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5.8 Approval of the Audit Team f) traffic signal and phasing diagrams;
g) any known departures from standard;
5.8.1 One of the relevant road authorities first tasks
is to approve an independent Audit Team h) confirmation of construction dates;
(also refer to Chapter 3). In practice the
i) all previous Road Safety Audit Reports
Design Organisation is asked to propose an
Audit Team for the relevant roads authorities relating to the project, approval from
approval.
Abu Dhabi Police and the relevant
5.9 Audit Management roads authority relating to the project;
j) all previous response reports,
5.9.1 The Client and Design Team should liaise and
ensure that the audit process is initiated at exception reports, approval from Abu
the appropriate stages, allowing sufficient
Dhabi Police and the relevant roads
programme time to complete the full audit
procedure. This should include an allowance authority relating to the project;
for the incorporation of design changes,
k) appropriate sized plans of the project
should any arise from the audit report.
for the Audit Team to mark up and
5.9.2 The Design Team should ensure that the Audit
Team is given sufficient notice of when the include in the Audit Report (either A4
scheme will be ready for audit and the date by or A3 sized sheets);
which the report will be required.
l) traffic / pedestrian flow data (where
5.9.3 Adequate time must be given for the available);
preparation of the audit report.
m) where the proposal contains new or
5.9.4 The Audit Team Leader may also, with the
modified traffic signals and detailed
approval of the Client, invite representatives
of the police and the relevant highway designs have already been prepared
authority to advise on audits at Stages 1 and
and had a design/safety check
2 where the Audit Team Leader considers that
their participation will benefit the audit. undertaken by the Traffic Signals design
and checklist must also be forwarded to
5.10 The Audit brief
the Audit Team;
5.10.1 The Audit Brief is essential to the safety audit
procedure. It defines the scope of the audit n) details of other notable events that
and contains all the information necessary to have occurred since construction
give the Audit Team a full understanding of
the project. (stage 4 audits only); and
o) any other information relating to
5.10.2 The Audit Brief is prepared utilising the audit
brief checklist which is likely to include, if existing features, that in the opinion of
appropriate and available : the Client Officer, will be required by an
a) an instruction to carry out the Audit as per Audit Team that has no prior
this manual knowledge of the proposals or existing
b) Project title; conditions.
c) a description of the section of carriageway or
junction to be audited;
d) a description of the purpose and key
elements of the project;
e) A full set of drawings appropriate to the
stage of audit being undertaken.
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5.10.3 The Audit Team can request further 5.13.1 On return from the site visit(s) and
information from the design following a review of the Audit Brief
organization where the road safety and associated information, the Audit
audit brief which is considered Team needs to compile the Road Safety
inadequate Audit report.
5.11 Assess Audit Brief (and 5.13.2 At all Stages the Audit Team shall
prepare a written report which will be
associated information) in the format show in Annex C. The
5.11.1 This step is normally undertaken by the Stage 0, 1, 2 and 3 Audit Reports shall
Audit Team in parallel with the site include:
visit. The Audit Team will initially assess a) A brief description of the proposed
all the information provided within the scheme;
Audit Brief before undertaking the site
visit to flag up potential safety b) Identification of the audit stage and
problems that may be identified on team membership as well as the names
site. It may also give the Audit Team an of others contributing;
indication of when it is best to
undertake the site visit (time of day or c) Details of who was present at the site
day of week). For example, crash data visit, when it was undertaken and what
may indicate high occurrence of the site conditions were on the day of
crashes during the afternoon peak. On the visit (weather, traffic congestion,
return from the site visit, the Audit etc.);
Team will review all the information
again, with the new insight gained from d) The specific road safety problems
the visit. identified, supported with the
background reasoning;
5.12 Undertaking the Site Visit
e) A3 or A4 location map, marked up and
5.12.1 The Audit Team must undertake at referenced to problems and, if
least a daytime site visit for all stages of available, photographs of the problems
audit. A night time site visit must be identified;
undertaken at Pre- and Post-Opening
Stages (at stage 3). A night time site f) A statement, signed by the Audit Team
visit may be required at stage 4 if the Leader in the format given at Annex C;
crash data shows a problem during the and
hours of darkness.
g) A list of documents and drawings
5.12.2 All members of the Audit Team must
considered for the audit.
visit the site together and at the same
time.
h) The report shall contain a separate
5.12.3 It is the Audit Team Leader’s statement for each identified problem
responsibility to invite representatives describing the location and nature of
of the police and the relevant highway the problem and the type of crashes
authority to accompany the Audit considered likely to occur as a result of
Team to offer their views for the Stage the problem.
3 Audit at least 10 working days before
the site visit date i) Each problem shall be followed by an
associated recommendation. The Audit
5.12.4 The Audit Team Leader should notify Team should aim to provide
the Client of the date proposed for the proportionate and viable
site visit. recommendations to eliminate or
mitigate the identified problems.
5.13 Compile / issue audit report Recommendations to “consider” should
be avoided. Recommendations to
“monitor” should only be made where
a need to supplement the scheduled
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Stage 4 monitoring is specifically 5.14.3 The Client should provide copies of the
identified in terms of frequency and final exception report to the Design
incidence of particular vehicle Organisation and Audit Team Leader
manoeuvres or crash causation factors, for action and information respectively.
and the monitoring task can be
specifically allocated. 5.14.4 The Client is ultimately responsible for
initiating prompt action on all
j) Items such as correspondence with the recommendations in the audit report,
Overseeing Organisation or copies of and the exception report.
marked up checklists shall not be
included. 5.14.5 Until such time that an exception
report has been completed, where
5.13.3 The Audit Team Leader should send the required, the audit will be considered
audit report directly to the Client and as being incomplete.
not via the Design Organisation.
5.15 Approval of the Road
5.13.4 All drawings and the road safety audit Safety Audit and Exception
report should be copied into all
relevant parties, including the Police.
Report
5.15.1 The Police and the relevant road
5.13.5 The relevant highway authority and the
authority are to be sent the final Road
Police are to be sent a draft copy of the
Safety Audit report and exception or
Road Safety Audit report for each stage
client response report (including
for comment and will be asked to
designers response) for each stage of
provide their comments within 7
the audit and will be asked to provide
working days to the Audit Team leader.
their approval within 7 working days to
The comments received from the above
the Client so that any issues may be
mentioned authorities must be taken
considered.
into consideration..
5.15.2 Abu Dhabi Police and the relevant
roads authority reserves the right to
5.14 Compile and Issue the reject any road safety audit report or
Exception Report exception report where road safety is
likely to be compromised.
5.14.1 Once the audit report is issued to the
Client, they have to set about reviewing
each problem and recommendation
from the report in consultation with
the Design Organisation, and decide
whether to accept or reject them.
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Design Team
Scheme Design
YES
Changes 5.18 Feedback knowledge gained
Revised Required ?
5.18.1 There is a risk that unless the knowledge
gained from audits are fed back into the
NO design process, the same mistakes will be
repeated in future. Road Safety Auditing
Scheme proceeds should therefore be seen as an opportunity to
to next stage of
design
provide constructive feedback to the Design
Organisation and Client.
Exception report recommendations prepared and 5.18.2 This can be done simply by circulating the
issued
audit reports and exception reports through
the Design Organisation, or by undertaking a
review periodically of the most common
Figure 5.2- Exception Report
problems identified by auditors for projects
designed by different design teams.
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Annex A Road Safety Audit Request Form
Emirate of Abu Dhabi Road -Safety Audit Manual-
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References
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