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Advancements in Sustainable Materials and Infrastructure IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1086 (2022) 012028 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1086/1/012028

A Study on Road Safety Audit and Black Spot Identification

Sadguna Nuli 1, Katkam Rohan 2 and Chenreddy Joshnavi 3

1
Department of Civil Engineering, Anurag University, Venkatapur, Hyderabad-500088, India,
email: findguna@gmail.com, Mobile: +91-9029713431
2
Department of Civil Engineering, Vardhaman College of Engineering, Shamshabad, India,
email: rohankatkam21@gmail.com, Mobile: +91- 9440755662
3
Department of Civil Engineering, Vardhaman College of Engineering, Shamshabad, India,
email: cjoshnavi@gmail.com, Mobile: +91- 8466901614

Abstract. Road Safety Audit (RSA) is a formal procedure for assessing accident potential and
safety performance of new and existing roads. Road safety audit is an efficient, cost effective
and proactive approach to improve road safety. It is proved that RSA has the potential to save
lives. The RSA was originated in Great Britain and is well developed in countries like UK, USA,
Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Canada, Malaysia and Singapore. Presently, it is at varying
stages of implementation in developing nations like India, South Africa, Thailand and
Bangladesh. Therefore, road safety audit appears to be an ideal tool for improving road safety in
India. In this study, a rural road stretching from Rallaguda bridge to Vardhaman College of
Engineering in Hyderabad city is chosen for road safety audit. Safety assessment is done using
iRAP application by collecting road side features, midblock details, intersection features,
vulnerable road users’ facilities, speed and flow details. The secondary objective is to find out
the Black Spot locations within Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) police station
jurisdiction of Hyderabad city. Accident prone areas are identified by estimating Weighted
severity and accident severity indices with the help of historical accident data. Finally, major
causes of accidents and measures to improve safety of the chosen road section are suggested.
Keywords: Black Spot; Road Safety Audit; and Accidents.
1. Introduction
Road accidents is one of the main sources of death, handicap and hospitalization of individuals overall
and Indian specific. Something like one out of 10 individuals killed on streets across the world is from
India, as per the World Health Organization. Fatalities and injuries brought about by street mishaps are
turning into the issues of extraordinary concern especially with the increasing motorization, because of
expanding populace and expanded vehicular entrance across the length and broadness of the country.
Road traffic injuries are the main source of death all around the world and the chief reason for death in
the age gathering of 15 to 49 years. During the year 2020, road crashes in India asserted around 1.3 lakh
lives and made injuries more than 3.4 lakh individuals. Road crashes cause severe social and economic
consequences, without action the global yearly number of road deaths is expected to rise to almost 2.4
million by 2030. The bulk of these will occur in poor and middle-income nations, which currently
account for nine out of ten of the world’s population. The number of people killed on the roads across
the world. Motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians will account for nearly half of those fatalities.

A Road Safety Audit (RSA) is defined as “the formal safety performance examination of an existing or
future road or intersection by an independent, multidisciplinary team”. It qualitatively estimates and
reports on potential road safety issues and identifies opportunities for improvements in safety for all
road users [1]. Typically, the stages of road safety audit can be divided into five stages such as feasibility,
preliminary, detailed design, construction, and pre-opening [2]. Feasibility stage studies about how well

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Advancements in Sustainable Materials and Infrastructure IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1086 (2022) 012028 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1086/1/012028

the proposed highway fits with the existing highway/road network. Preliminary design completion stage
audit include assessment of horizontal and vertical alignments, sight lines, cross sections, and layout of
junctions including slip roads, this is the last opportunity to change core design concepts if any. Detailed
design completion stage audit look into things like junction layout, sign placement, carriageway
markings, and lighting etc. Construction stage audit include inspection of safety measures adopted for
work zone, workmen, road users, and traffic control devices adopted at construction site. Finally, in the
pre-opening stage, the audit team will inspect the project site both during daytime hours and during the
hours of darkness to identify hazards specific to vehicle operations. Further, in the first one or two
months of operation, the audit team collect incident or crash data if any in order to take corrective action
as needed.

In this context, it is high time to bring it notice about International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP)
is a registered organisation committed to eliminating high-risk highways across the world and saving
lives. iRAP use a solid, evidence-based strategy to prevent avoidable deaths and suffering [3]. iRAP
collaborates with governments, road authorities, mobility clubs, development banks, NGOs, and other
organisations that conduct research. Typical functions of iRAP includes: (i) inspect high-risk routes and
provide star ratings, risk maps, and investment plans for safer roads. (ii) track road safety performance
so that funding agencies can assess the advantages of their investments. (iii) provide training,
technology, and assistance that will create and sustain national, regional, and local capabilities. iRAP is
presently operating in about 100 countries across Europe, Asia, North, Central, and South America, and
Africa.

The second part of this study includes identification of black spot locations. Black Spots are areas on
roadways where accidents have traditionally occurred in high concentrations. According to MoRTH,
road accident blackspot is a stretch of national highway of about 500 m in length in which either 5 road
accidents (in all three years put together involving fatalities/grievous injuries) took place during the last
3 calendar years or 10 fatalities (in all three years put together) took place during the last 3 calendar
years. Sites that attract more accidents than other similar areas on the road system, or locations with an
accident number and/or rate greater than a predetermined minimum, are referred to as “black spots.”
Accidental Black Spots are spots on roads where a significant number of accidents have already
happened. These spots are found utilising systems that are designed to unintentionally locate black spots
using data provided by the appropriate authorities [4].

The literature review can be broadly classified into two groups such as road safety audit and black spot
identification. Under road safety audit studies include safety performance audit for roadside and median
barriers using freeway crash records [5], assessment of safety measures of selected road stretch [6].
Similarly, black spot identification studies include estimation of severity indices [7], implementation of
speed management measures on rural highways [8], Quantum of Accident Method, Accident Prone
Index (API) method, and Weighted Severity Index (WSI) method [9], and GIS application for accident
investigation [10]. From the above discussion the objectives of the proposed study are identified as (i)
To assess road safety of the selected stretch using iRAP application. (ii) To identify the black spots in a
selected area.

2. Methodology
The study methodology can be broadly divided into road safety audit and black spot identification
components as shown in Figure 1. Safety audit consists of collecting data with respect to road side
features, mid-block details, intersection features, traffic flow, speed and vulnerable road user (VRU)
facilities. The collected details are supplied to iRAP application to estimate safety indices for various
road users. The second component black spot identification involves collection of historical accident
data and analyzing it as fatal, grievous, simple and no injury. Then the accident severity indices are
estimated for various accident-prone locations. Finally, this study suggests measures to improve the
safety of the chosen road section as well as to the identified accident-prone areas.

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Advancements in Sustainable Materials and Infrastructure IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1086 (2022) 012028 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1086/1/012028

Site Selection

Road Safety Audit Black Spot Identification

Road Side Features Accident Data

Mid-Block Details Data Analysis

Intersection Data Accident Severity Analysis

Identification of Accident-
Flow, Speed, & VRU Facilities
Prone Areas

Safety Rating for Road Users Remedial Measures

Figure 1. Study Methodology.

3. Road Safety Audit

Road Safety Audit (RSA) is defined as the formal safety performance examination of an existing or
future road by an independent, multidisciplinary team. It qualitatively estimates and reports on potential
road safety issues and identifies opportunities for improvements in safety for all road users. To do the
assessment and to give the rating to the required section this study used iRAP application. The
functionalities of an iRAP can be broadly classified as crash risk mapping, star ratings, fatality
estimation mapping, safer road investment plans, and performance tracking. Crash risk mapping
illustrates distribution of fatalities and serious injuries on a road network based on the detailed crash
data recorded. Star rating represents level of safety provided by the given road. Fatality estimation
mappings are used in investment plans to assess the benefits and costs of implementing infrastructure
safety counter measures on a road. Safer road investment plans provides affordable and economically
sound infrastructure options for saving lives. Finally, performance tracking uses star ratings and crash
risk mapping to track road safety performance.

Although iRAP functionalities are very broader, this study focuses on estimation of star ratings for every
100 m section of the chosen road stretch i.e., from Rallaguda Bridge to Vardhaman College of
Engineering in Shamshabad area of the Hyderabad city in India. The study stretch covers a total distance
of 8 km as shown in Figure 2. The data collection survey consists of roadside severity details like
presence of hazardous object on both sides like driver side and passenger side, presence of shoulder
rumble strips or not, and whether the shoulder is paved or not etc as shown in Figure 3. Furthermore,
mid-block data like type of carriageway, median type, centreline rumble strips, number of lanes,
curvature details like sharp or flat curve, gradient, and pavement condition etc. In addition, intersection
features like type of intersection, channelization, intersecting road volume, property access details are
collected. Along with roadway and intersection data, vulnerable road user (VRU) data like pedestrian,
bicycle facilities, traffic flow data like volume, composition of traffic mix, and speed data are given as
input to the iRAP model. Then the model estimated star ratings for typical road users like vehicles, two-
wheelers, pedestrians, and bi-cyclists for a specific urban section 400 to 500 m from Rallaguda bridge
as shown in Figure 4. Furthermore, the iRAP model estimates risk indices for all the above road users
based on the survey data supplied to the model as shown in Figure 5. The figure illustrates that different
colours were used for representing different star rating like green, yellow, orange, red, and black to

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Advancements in Sustainable Materials and Infrastructure IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1086 (2022) 012028 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1086/1/012028

indicate 5-star to 1-star rating respectively. From the Figure 5, it can be interpreted that higher the risk
index, star rating will be less. Further, it can be found that for vehicles and motorcycles road users,
unsafe intersection area is more critical, and for pedestrians crossing road is more risk. Similarly, from
the Figure 6, it can be interpreted that for vehicles users, vehicle run-off on the driver side is more
probable, and for Motorcycles, 3-way unsignalized Intersection is more risk.

Figure 2. Study stretches from Rallaguda Bridge to Vardhaman College of Engineering

(Source: Google Maps)

Figure 3. Data entry on iRAP model.

Figure 4. Star rating for typical road users for an urban section (400 to 500 m from Rallaguda bridge)

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Advancements in Sustainable Materials and Infrastructure IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1086 (2022) 012028 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1086/1/012028

Figure 5. Risk indices for typical road users for an urban section
(400 to 500 m from Rallaguda bridge)

Figure 6. Risk indices for typical road users near Oasis School of Excellence
(2.7 km from Rallaguda Bridge)

4. Black Spot Identification

Accidental Black Spots are places on the highways where accidents have been historically concentrated.
In most nations, blackspots are found by placing a sliding window over accident locations and adjusting
the window’s position at areas where the (local) greatest number of accidents occurs. An accident black
spot is a location with a disproportionately high frequency of accidents. In order to identify black spot
locations, the first thing is to collect authorized accident data at least for the last three calendar years. In
this study, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) Police Station jurisdiction is chosen as the study
area. The data is collected from both RGIA police station and Shamshabad Rural police station. The
collected data is categorized into fatal accidents, grievous injury, simple injury, and no injury. The
summary of accident data which have more accident history is presented in Table 1 as well as in Figure
7. Then the accident severity index as per Fayaz model [11], and similarly weighted severity index as
per Srinivasan model [9] are estimated as shown in Table 2, and presented in Figure 8. Finally, based
on these severity indices accident-prone locations are identified as shown in Table 3 and 4.

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Advancements in Sustainable Materials and Infrastructure IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1086 (2022) 012028 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1086/1/012028

Table 1. Summary of accident data

S. Location Fatal Minor No
No. Accidents Injuries Injuries
1. Paradise to Karachi bakery road 4 8 3

2. Shamshabad bus stop to Village market road 1 12 3

3. Vinayaka aquarium center to Srikatta maisamma 1 7 1

temple
4. Indian petrol bunk to Balaji convention road 3 3 0

5. Mee-seva Shamshabad to Outer ring road 2 7 0

6. Rallaguda road to Mee-seva Shamshabad 0 5 2

7. Mc Donald’s to Gaganpahad substation 4 4 1

8. AKR Bar & restaurant road 3 13 3

Table 2. Summary of accident severity indices

S. No. Location Weighted Accident severity
severity index index
1. Paradise to Karachi bakery road 172 32

2. Shamshabad bus stop to Village market road 53 16

3. Vinayaka aquarium center to Srikatta maisamma 48 11

temple
4. Indian petrol bunk to Balaji convention road 126 15

5. Mee-seva Shamshabad to Outer ring road 89 15

6. Rallaguda road to Mee-seva Shamshabad 5 5

7. Mc Donald’s to Gaganpahad substation 168 20

8. AKR Bar & restaurant road 136 25

Figure 7. Accidents categorization Figure 8. Accidents severity indices

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Advancements in Sustainable Materials and Infrastructure IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1086 (2022) 012028 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1086/1/012028

Table 3. Ranking Based on Weighted Severity Index

S. No. Location Weighted Rank
severity index
1. Paradise to Karachi bakery road 172 1

2. Mc Donald’s to Gaganpahad substation 168 2

3. AKR Bar & restaurant road 136 3

4. Indian petrol bunk to Balaji convention road 126 4

5. Mee-seva Shamshabad to Outer ring road 89 5

6. Shamshabad bus stop to Village market road 53 6

7. Vinayaka aquarium center to Srikatta maisamma temple 48 7

8. Rallaguda road to Mee-seva Shamshabad 5 8

Table 4. Ranking Based on Accident Severity Index

S. No. Location Accident Rank
severity index
1. Paradise to Karachi bakery road 32 1

2. AKR Bar & restaurant road 25 2

3. Mc Donald’s to Gaganpahad substation 20 3

4. Shamshabad bus stop to Village market road 16 4

5. Indian petrol bunk to Balaji convention road 15 5

6. Mee-seva Shamshabad to Outer ring road 15 6

7. Vinayaka aquarium center to Srikatta maisamma 11 7

temple
8. Rallaguda road to Mee-seva Shamshabad 5 8

5. Results & Discussion

To summarize, salient points can be discussed as follows: From the road safety audit of an urban area
section (400-500 m) from Rallaguda bridge, 3-star rating is obtained for 4-wheelers, motorcycles, and
pedestrians. Further, vehicles and motorcycles users are found to have more risk with unsafe
intersection, and for pedestrians crossing road is more risk. Similarly, in rural area (near Oasis School
of Excellence) 4-wheelers obtained only 2-Star rating, and further found that vehicle users have more
chance of run-off-road on the driver side, and motorcycles are found to be more risk with unsafe 3-way
unsignalized Intersection. And, finally from black spot identification study it is observed that Paradise
to Karachi bakery road is the most vulnerable accident-prone area.

Therefore, in order to improve safety levels at our study section, following measures suggested: (i)
effective speed enforcement improves star rating for vehicles and motor cycles; (ii) sidewalks and
pedestrian crossing facilities like zebra crossing, street lighting, and lower speed limits improves star
rating for pedestrians; (iii) improvement of sight distance near Sultanpalli cross road; (iv) wider bi-cycle

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Advancements in Sustainable Materials and Infrastructure IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1086 (2022) 012028 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1086/1/012028

tracks improve star rating for bicycles (promoting nonmotorized traffic); (v) Roundabout, warning
signal provision at unsafe intersections improves star rating for vehicles and motorcycles; (vi) shoulder
rumble strips near Oasis School of Excellence, pedestrian crossing facility at Oasis School of Excellence
and Vardhaman College of Engineering improves star rating for the sections. Similarly, to improve
accident-prone locations following short-term measures can be implemented: Pedestrian facilities like
zebra crossings, road markings, delineators like studs or cat eyes, solar lighting, and traffic calming
measures including rumble strips.

6. Conclusion
In this study, safety audit of a rural road stretching from Rallaguda bridge to Vardhaman College of
Engineering is done using iRAP application. The safety levels are estimated in terms of star rating for
both rural and urban sections. Furthermore, various measures suggested to improve the safety levels for
typical road users. In addition to road safety audit, accident-prone locations in the Rajiv Gandhi
International Airport police station jurisdiction are identified by analyzing accident data and estimating
severity indices. Finally, the measures to reduce accidents in these locations also suggested.

7. References
[1] Devang G Patel, FS Umrigar, CB Mishra, and Amit A Vankar 2013 Road Safety Audit of Selected
Stretch from Umreth Junction to Vasad Junction International Journal of Science and Modern
Engineering (IJISME) 2319–6386.
[2] IRC SP 88 Manual on Road safety Audit Indian Roads Congress New Delhi.
[3] Nabarjun Vashisth 2016 Road safety assessment and test application of iRAP along National
Highway 3 in Haiti PhD thesis Clemson University.
[4] Athira Mohan and VS Landge 2017 Identification of accident black spots on national highway
Int. J. Civ. Eng. Technol 8.4 588–596.
[5] Y.G. Wang, K.M. Chen, Y.S. Ci, and L.W. Hu 2011 Safety performance audit for roadside and
median barriers using freeway crash records: Case study in Jiangxi, China Scientia Iranica A
18 (6) 1222–1230.
[6] Omkar Gholap, Nikita Shinde, Vaishnavi Shelke, Navnath Navale, Kuldeepak Deshmukh, and
Ashutosh Kotkar 2018 Road Safety Audit International Journal of Engineering Research &
Technology 7 Issue 04.
[7] Snehal U Bobade, Jalindar R Patil, and Raviraj R Sorate 2015 Identification of Accidental Black
spots on National Highways and Expressways International Journal of Research in Advent
Technology (E-ISSN: 2321-9637), Special Issue National Conference ACGT 2015.
[8] Stanislaw Gaca and Mariusz Kiec 2016 Speed management for local and regional rural roads
Transportation Research Procedia 14 4170 – 4179.
[9] Srinivasan, N. S., Iyer, V. S., Chand, M., and Srinath, K. 1987 Scientific identification and
improvement of accident-prone locations on national highways in Kerala Journal of the Indian
Road Congress 48 (3) 1-10.
[10] Liyamol Isen, Shibu A, and Saran M. S 2013 Identification and analysis of accident black spots
using geographic information system International Journal of Innovative Research in Science,
Engineering and Technology 2(1).
[11] M Mohammed Fayaz, Mrudula S P, Sarah Jaison George, Sherin P Yoyak, and Serin Sara Roy
2018 Black spot identification using accident severity index method International journal of
current engineering and scientific research (IJCESR) 5(3).

Acknowledgement
Authors would like to express our gratitude towards “Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA)” Police
Station for their kind co-operation and encouragement which helped them in completion of this project.
Furthermore, authors would like to express their special thanks to Circle Inspector (CI) & Deputy
Commissioner of Police (DCP) for giving their considerable attention and time.