Road Safety Audit Specification

29 August 2022 2022

Cover photo: M1 Mooney Mooney crash 23 November 2021.
Road Safety Audit Specification

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Contents
1. Things you need to know .....................................................................................1
1.1 About this document .......................................................................................1
1.2 Required deliverables .....................................................................................1
1.3 Terms ..............................................................................................................1
1.4 Work Health and Safety ..................................................................................1
1.4.1 Work Health and Safety documents ....................................................................................1
1.4.2 Confined spaces ..................................................................................................................1
1.4.3 Clothing ................................................................................................................................2
1.5 Working on roads ............................................................................................2
1.6 Sub-contractors...............................................................................................2
1.7 Reports ...........................................................................................................2
1.7.1 Requirements for reports .....................................................................................................2
1.7.2 Acronyms .............................................................................................................................2
1.8 Meaningful email titles ....................................................................................3
1.9 Supplied information .......................................................................................3
1.10 References......................................................................................................3
1.10.1 Reference documents ..........................................................................................................3
1.10.2 Access to reference documents...........................................................................................3

2. Road Safety Audit .................................................................................................4

2.1 Objectives of this specification ........................................................................4
2.2 Definition of Road Safety Audit .......................................................................4
2.3 Key performance indicators ............................................................................4
2.4 Consideration of attributes of safe roads ........................................................5
2.5 No recommendations ......................................................................................5
2.6 Safe systems ..................................................................................................5
2.7 Deliverables ....................................................................................................6
2.8 Type of Road Safety Audit ..............................................................................7
2.9 Liability arising from the conduct of an audit ...................................................7

3. Audit requirements ...............................................................................................8

3.1 Procedure .......................................................................................................8
3.2 Acceptance of audit team ...............................................................................8
3.2.1 Independence ......................................................................................................................8
3.2.2 Team composition ................................................................................................................8
3.2.3 Qualifications and experience ..............................................................................................9
3.2.4 Responsibilities of audit team members ..............................................................................9
3.3 Commencement meeting ................................................................................9
3.4 Review of documents.................................................................................... 10

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 3.5 Site inspections ............................................................................................. 10
3.6 Check of sight distance ................................................................................. 10
3.7 Assignment of risk levels .............................................................................. 10
3.7.1 Experience in assigning risk levels ................................................................................... 10
3.7.2 Risk level matrix ................................................................................................................ 10
3.7.3 Two factor approach to assigning risk levels .................................................................... 10
3.7.4 Process for assignment of risk levels................................................................................ 11
3.7.5 Justification of probability .................................................................................................. 12
3.8 Reporting ...................................................................................................... 12
3.8.1 Purpose of report .............................................................................................................. 12
3.8.2 Road Safety Audit Report format ...................................................................................... 12
3.8.1 Report terminology ............................................................................................................ 14
3.8.2 No recommendations ........................................................................................................ 14
3.8.3 Out of scope issues .......................................................................................................... 15
3.8.4 Photographs and plans ..................................................................................................... 15
3.8.5 No issues found ................................................................................................................ 15
3.8.6 Declaration ........................................................................................................................ 15
3.8.7 Signatures ......................................................................................................................... 15
3.8.1 Copies ............................................................................................................................... 16
3.9 Completion meeting ...................................................................................... 16
3.9.1 Report presented to completion meeting .......................................................................... 16
3.9.2 Completion meeting procedure ......................................................................................... 16
3.10 Responding to the Road Safety Audit ........................................................... 16

4. Alternative types of audit.................................................................................... 18

4.1 Road Safety Evaluation ................................................................................ 18
4.1.1 Request for Road Safety Evaluation ................................................................................. 18
4.1.2 Definition of Road Safety Evaluation ................................................................................ 18
4.1.3 Road Safety Audit ............................................................................................................. 18
4.1.4 Road crash investigation ................................................................................................... 18
4.1.5 Speed zone review ........................................................................................................... 18
4.1.6 Reporting a Road Safety Evaluation ................................................................................. 18
4.2 Road Safety Check ....................................................................................... 18
4.2.1 Definition of Road Safety Check ....................................................................................... 18
4.2.2 Road Safety Check limitations .......................................................................................... 19

5. Basis for risk assessment .................................................................................. 20

5.1 Risk matrix .................................................................................................... 20
5.2 Risk levels ..................................................................................................... 21
5.3 Crash costs ................................................................................................... 21
5.4 Injury indicators ............................................................................................. 22
5.5 Fatality equivalent ......................................................................................... 22
5.6 Exposure and environment ........................................................................... 22

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 5.7 Crash causation ............................................................................................ 23
5.8 Probability ranking ........................................................................................ 23
5.9 Determining a run-off-road scenario ............................................................. 23
5.10 Risk considerations ....................................................................................... 24

6. Quality assurance ............................................................................................... 28

6.1 Key performance indicators .......................................................................... 28
6.2 Non-transference of responsibility for quality ................................................ 28
6.3 Non-conformance of deliverables ................................................................. 28
6.3.1 Definition of non-conformance .......................................................................................... 28
6.3.2 The significance of a non-conformance ............................................................................ 28
6.3.3 Identification of non-conformances ................................................................................... 28
6.3.4 Non-conformance severity ................................................................................................ 29
6.3.5 Response to non-conformance ......................................................................................... 29
6.4 Audit .............................................................................................................. 29

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1. Things you need to know
1.1 About this document
This Road Safety Audit Specification includes requirements for Road Safety Audits for
infrastructure projects.

1.2 Required deliverables

Deliverables are listed in the Table of Deliverables. The requirements for deliverables
are described in the Scope-of-Work and the specifications.
The deliverables in specifications apply only if required by the Request-for-Quote,
Table-of-Deliverables or contract documents.
Non-conformance with specified deliverable requirements will have a response as
detailed in Section 6.

1.3 Terms
You, your means the consultant or contractor engaged to do the work.
We, our, us means the Principal of the contract engaging the consultant or contractor.
Consultant is a person or company that provides expert technical advice, services,
designs and documents.
Contractor is a person or company that undertakes a contract to provide materials or
labour to perform a service or do a job.
The requirements for a consultant apply to a contractor. The requirements for a
contractor apply to a consultant.
Must is a mandatory requirement.

1.4 Work Health and Safety

1.4.1 Work Health and Safety documents
You must comply with, and cover the costs of meeting, the requirements of:
a) Work Health and Safety Act.
b) Work Health and Safety Regulation.
c) Work Health and Safety (Confined Spaces) Code of Practice 2015.
d) Safe design of structures code of practice 2019.
e) Traffic control at work sites Technical Manual.
f) Council’s Work Health and Safety requirements.

1.4.2 Confined spaces

If confined space entry is required you must comply with:
a) Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 Part 4.3 Confined spaces.
b) Work Health and Safety (Confined Spaces) Code of Practice 2015.

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 1.4.3 Clothing
High visibility clothing suitable for day and night work and enclosed footwear must be
worn on site.

1.5 Working on roads

Prepare Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) for all site work. If a Traffic Control
Plan is required it must comply with the Traffic control at work sites Technical Manual.
An internet search can obtain a copy of the manual.
Traffic Control Plans must contain provisions for control of vehicles and protection of
pedestrians.
Use only trained and qualified personnel to carry out any traffic control activity, as
required by the Traffic control at work sites Technical Manual.

1.6 Sub-contractors
Sub-contractors must be declared in the quote. The sub-contractors nominated in the
quote must not be changed without written approval from us.
If sub-contractors are used, you are responsible for selection, engagement, payment,
and quality management of the sub-contracted work.
We will not separately pay sub-contractors and will not pay an administration charge for
managing sub-contractors.
Sub-contractors must hold insurance that meets the requirements of the principal
contract.

1.7 Reports
1.7.1 Requirements for reports
Requirements for reports are detailed in the specification. It is expected that reports will
comply with the specification requirements. Reports that lack required information will
be treated as a non-conformance in accordance with the quality requirements in the
specification.

1.7.2 Acronyms
Do not use acronyms in documents, apart from those in common use in the community
such as NSW, or when they are in the same paragraph group adjacent to the text
spelled out in full.
Acronyms inhibit understanding, for example "A BDAR or SIS under the BC Act may
include PCTs (eg CPW, RFEF and/or SSTF) from BAM plots" means nothing to most
readers.
Reports are written with a word processor, not a quill pen, so there is no modern
reason to use acronyms. Excessive acronyms will be treated as a non-conformance.

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1.8 Meaningful email titles
Project emails must have a title that describes the content of the email. This will enable
a specific email to be found when searching through the many emails in an electronic
records system.
Do not add unrelated content to a chain email.
A series of emails about the same subject needs to have additional information specific
to the email. For example:
Road name 80% design – submission for design review
Road name 80% design – request for review of landscaping
Road name 80% design – draft Review of Environmental Factors

1.9 Supplied information

We will provide the information listed in the Request-for-Quote.

1.10 References
1.10.1 Reference documents
References that may need to be consulted during the work are shown in the
specifications.
For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references the latest
edition available on the internet (including any amendments) applies.

1.10.2 Access to reference documents

It is your responsibility to access and obtain reference documents other than those
supplied by us.
A copy of legislative and regulation requirements is available through an internet
search.
You are not entitled to claim for costs or lodge a variation associated with accessing
and obtaining reference documents.

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2. Road Safety Audit
2.1 Objectives of this specification
This specification aims to:
a) Implement the principles of the Austroads Guide to Road Safety Part 6: Road
Safety Audit.
b) Ensure highly qualified and experienced practitioners carry out our audits.
c) Ensure risk levels are realistic and reflective of the risks accepted by the
community on the road network.
d) Ensure sight distance is carefully considered as part of the audit.
e) Ensure the consequences of a applying a series of minimum standards of design
are evaluated for their impact on safety.
f) Ensure the combination of design elements are evaluated for their impact on
safety.
g) Ensure comprehensive reports.
h) Provide guidance on reporting safety issues that are outside the scope of the
Road Safety Audit.
i) Provide direction on conflicting requirements in Road Safety Audit guidelines.

2.2 Definition of Road Safety Audit

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” 1. It does not consider crash history.

2.3 Key performance indicators

Key performance indicators for Road Safety Audit are compliance with the references
listed below. In the event of any conflict between the references, the following order of
precedence shall apply:
a) This Road Safety Audit Specification.
b) Austroads Guide to Road Safety Part 6 Road Safety Audit with the exception that
recommendations must not be made (in accordance with Transport for NSW
practice).
c) Roads and Traffic Authority Guidelines for Road Safety Audit Practices.
Part 2 does not apply unless the Scope-of-Work specifically requests a Road
Safety Evaluation.
Part 3 does not apply unless the Scope-of-Work specifically requests a Road
Safety Check.

1 Austroads Guide to Road Safety Part 6: Road Safety Audit (p 4).

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 d) Austroads Research Report AP-R628-20: Background to the Development of the
2020 Edition of Guide to Road Design Part 6 for information on crash
frequencies.

2.4 Consideration of attributes of safe roads

The Road Safety Audit must consider the attributes of safe roads.
Safe roads:
a) Have consistent appearance that is appropriate to their function (that is they
conform to the concepts of Movement and Place).
b) Warn road users of any inconsistent or unusual features.
c) Inform road users of conditions ahead.
d) Are self-explaining, guiding road users and controlling their passage through
conflict points.
e) Consider the possibility of road user error and provide for safe outcomes from
mistakes.
f) Provide no surprises.
g) Do not overload road users with information to the point where load shedding
occurs.
h) Repeats information where necessary to ensure safety.
i) Are designed to consider the needs of all road users including the vulnerable eg
children, the elderly, visually impaired.

2.5 No recommendations
The Road Safety Audit report must not contain any suggested actions or
recommendations or changes to design, in accordance with Transport for NSW
practice 2. The design team will decide on an appropriate response to issues raised in
the Road Safety Audit report.
Section 10.6 of the Austroads Guide to Road Safety Part 6: Road Safety Audit does not
apply.

2.6 Safe systems

The Road Safety Audit meets the Safety System philosophy that notes:
A shared responsibility exists amongst those who plan, design, build, manage and use
roads and vehicles and provide post-crash care to prevent crashes resulting in serious
injury or death. 3
This specification applies this principle by requiring consideration of the implications of
crash forces on the human body in Section 5.10.

2 Transport for NSW Centre for Road Safety, 2011, Guidelines for road Safety Audit Practices, Sydney (p 1:18).

3International Transport Forum. (2016), Zero road deaths and serious injuries: leading a paradigm shift to a Safe
System, Paris, France cited in Austroads 2022, Austroads Guide to Road Safety Part 6: Road Safety Audit (p 16).

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2.7 Deliverables
Road Safety Audit deliverables are:
a) A Road Safety Audit Report.
b) A commencement meeting.
c) A completion meeting.
The steps to achieving these deliverables are shown in Figure 1. 4

Figure 1 Road Safety Audit steps

4 Austroads 2022, Austroads Guide to Road Safety Part 6: Road Safety Audit (p 34).

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2.8 Type of Road Safety Audit
The type of Road Safety Audit will be specified in the Scope-of-Work.
Road Safety Audit types are:
a) Existing road audit: to check a road or a network for consistency, to make sure
that a road user does not encounter unexpected road safety issues.
b) Roadworks project at various stages of completion:
• Feasibility stage or project scoping: when the general nature of the project is
determined.
• Preliminary design stage: when alternate courses of action for the project are
analysed, and selected or discarded.
• Detailed design stage.

• Construction stage: to make sure work zone traffic controls are protecting road
users and construction workers.
• Immediate post opening stage: to make sure the completed project is
performing as intended.
c) Thematic audit: focused on aspects of a road. They may be used to investigate
road safety issues for specific road user groups, or audits conducted to support a
land development application.
A Road Safety Evaluation or a Road Safety Check are not accepted as an alternative
to a Road Safety Audit.

2.9 Liability arising from the conduct of an audit

The Road Safety Audit team is not responsible for resolution of the safety issues
identified in the Road Safety Audit Report, as noted in Section 2.5.
An auditor is not held as a ‘guarantor of safety’ and has little to fear if they act
professionally and diligently and within their competency. 5 There may be a temptation
to overstate the risk level of issues to cover liability concerns. Adopting this approach
will compromise the value of the Road Safety Audits.

5 Austroads 2022, Austroads Guide to Road Safety Part 6: Road Safety Audit (p 77).

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3. Audit requirements
3.1 Procedure
The audit procedure includes:
a) Acceptance of audit team.
b) Commencement meeting.
c) Review of documents.
d) Site inspections.
e) Check of sight distance.
f) Assignment of risk levels.
g) Reporting.
h) Completion meeting.
i) Responding to the Road Safety Audit.

3.2 Acceptance of audit team

3.2.1 Independence
The audit team must be independent of the people designing the project.

3.2.2 Team composition

The audit team composition must comply with the following requirements:
a) A Road Safety Audit team must consist of at least two people and no more than
four people.
b) The lead auditor must be registered at Level 3 on NSW Register of Road Safety
Auditors at the time the road safety audit is conducted.
c) At least one other audit team member must be a Senior Road Safety Auditor
registered at Level 2 or Level 3 on the Transport for NSW Register of Road
Safety Auditors at the time the road safety audit is conducted.
d) A Level 1 Road Safety Auditor may be on the audit team in addition to a Level 2
and Level 3 Road Safety Auditor.
e) The audit team may call on input from specialist advisors who are not on the
audit team and are independent of the project.
We or our representative must approve the audit team composition before the Road
Safety Audit is commissioned.

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3.2.3 Qualifications and experience
The road safety audit team must consist of qualified and experienced professionals
with the following skills and experience:

Lead Auditor (Level 3)

Lead Road Safety Auditors must be registered as a Level 3 Road Safety Auditor on the
Transport for NSW Register of Road Safety Auditors. The Lead Road Safety Auditor
must have at least 7-years demonstrated experience and capability in road design,
traffic engineering, traffic/transport management, road safety engineering or other
closely related road safety discipline.

Senior Auditor (Level 2)

Senior Road Safety Auditors must be registered as a Level 2 Road Safety Auditor on
the Transport for NSW Register of Road Safety Auditors. The Senior Auditor must have
at least 5-years demonstrated experience and capability in road design, traffic
engineering, traffic/transport management, road safety engineering or other closely
related road safety discipline.

Auditor (Level 1)
Level 1 Road Safety Auditors must be registered as a Level 1 Road Safety Auditor on
the Transport for NSW Register of Road Safety Auditors. In addition to the eligibility
requirements an Auditor must have least 2-years’ experience in either road design,
traffic engineering, traffic/transport management, road safety engineering or other
closely related road safety discipline.

3.2.4 Responsibilities of audit team members

The responsibilities of audit team members are outlined in the Austroads Guide to
Road Safety Part 6: Road Safety Audit, Section 9.4.

3.3 Commencement meeting

The commencement meeting can be an on-line video meeting. The software must be
capable of sharing documents on screen.
The commencement meeting should be attended by:
a) The Lead Auditor.
b) The Project Manager.
c) Stakeholders in the project, such as the leader of a design team.
The commencement meeting will include:
a) Discussion of scope.
a) Clarification of expectations, including the requirements of this specification and
the risk ranking process.
b) Identification of exclusions and limitations.
c) Arrangements for handover of background documents.
d) Agreement on the audit schedule.
e) Setting the date of the completion meeting.

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3.4 Review of documents
Documents should be initially reviewed in the office, and notes taken of potential
issues. The documents should then be taken to site and reviewed on-site.

3.5 Site inspections

A daylight and a night inspection are required. An audit report that does not include a
night inspection will not be accepted.
Daylight inspections must be conducted when the interaction of congestion and vehicle
and pedestrian movements and conflicts can be observed, typically a week-day
afternoon.
It is expected that the experience and knowledge of the audit team will enable them to
see and assess safety issues without being constrained by a checklist.
Checklists included in the Austroads guide may be used as a quality control to ensure
nothing has been missed.

3.6 Check of sight distance

A check of sight distance throughout the project must be included in the preparation of
the Road Safety Audit report.

3.7 Assignment of risk levels

3.7.1 Experience in assigning risk levels
It is desirable that risk assessments be made by an auditor with a background in crash
performance. Crash performance experience may include:
a) Observations of crash tests.
b) Observation of crash test videos and reading the crash test reports.
c) Reading crash reports and visiting and analysing the site of crashes.
d) Preparing designs to rectify sites with a poor crash history, including analysis of
the reason for the poor crash history as part of the design process.
e) Involvement in crash analysis.

3.7.2 Risk level matrix

The Risk Level Matrix is shown in Table 1 on page 11.
An explanation of the background to the assignment of risk levels is discussed in
Section 5.

3.7.3 Two factor approach to assigning risk levels

A two-factor approach is used to assign risk levels. The two-factor approach is aimed
to ensure:
a) Assigned risk levels are realistic.
b) Assigned risk levels are reflective of the risks accepted by the community on the
road network.

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3.7.4 Process for assignment of risk levels
Once a hazard has been identified, the auditor must:
a) Consider the potential for injury using the Severity Matrix in Figure 2.
b) Transfer the severity to the Risk Matrix in Table 1.

Figure 2 Severity matrix

Table 1 Risk Matrix for assigning risk levels

Risk level score

**Probability
 = Low,  = Extreme
*Severity of consequence
Extended
Inconvenient Slight Severe Acute Serious Irreversible
irreversible
Property Slight injury Casualty Acute injury Serious Single Multiple
damage crash crash cost injury crash cost injury fatality crash fatality crash
cost $22,992 crash cost $180,000 crash cost cost cost
$9,257 $59,100 $629,484 $2,463,432 $8,000,000
Fatality Fatality Fatality Fatality Fatality Fatality Fatality
equivalent equivalent equivalent equivalent equivalent equivalent equivalent
0.004 0.009 0.024 0.073 0.256 1.000 3.248
Almost
100% Certain       
45% Credible       
20% Possible       
10% Perhaps       
4.5% Infrequent       
2% Rare       

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 3.7.5 Justification of probability
The Work Health and Safety Act Section 22(2) requires that designers must ensure
that their designs are without risks to health and safety so far as is reasonably
practicable. Designers carry personal liability for designs and may be subject to penalty
for failure to comply with health and safety duty under Work Health and Safety Act
2011 Part 2 > Division 5.
If the Road Safety auditor of a design considers that the probability of an incident
occurring is above 20% the auditor is inferring the designer has not met their statutory
duty. This is a serious matter affecting the liability of designers, so the Auditor must
justify any probabilities above 20% on the risk matrix in Table 1 on page 11.
Risk probabilities above 20% on an existing road would be expected to be evidenced
by a crash history.

3.8 Reporting
3.8.1 Purpose of report
The purpose of the Road Safety Audit Report is to record the project’s crash potential
and safety performance for all road users.
The Road Safety Audit Report must contain a reason for declaring an issue to be a
potential safety problem.
For each identified risk to road safety:
a) Describe the risk location and issue.
b) Describe the risk to road safety.
c) Provide a photograph or plan extract of the risk.
d) Assign a risk rating.

3.8.2 Road Safety Audit Report format

The Road Safety Audit Report shall include as a minimum the information shown
below:

1. Audit identification
• Title of audit.
• Principal’s file number.

2. Audit declaration
• Audit declaration.
• Date of report.
• Contractor’s file number / project number.

3. Audit team
• Contractor company name and contact details.
• Names, level and signatures (or electronic identification) of auditors and date.
• Qualifications and experience of audit team.

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4. Site location and description of project
• Street name and suburb.
• Locality map.
• Description of the project.
• Site plan.

5. Scope
• Scope-of-Work and project description.
• Exclusions.
• Considerations.
• Assumptions.
• Speed adopted for determining sight distance requirements, with a justification.
• Stopping sight distance for the chosen speed.

6. References
• Standards and reference documents used.
• Information supplied by the client and used in the audit.

7. Audit details
• Type of Road Safety Audit.
o Strategic design.
o Concept design.
o Detailed design.
o Roadworks.
o Pre-opening.
o Post construction finalisation.
o Existing road.
• Description of the audit methodology.
• Audit program.
o Commencement meeting date and attendees.
o Daylight inspection date, day and time.
o Night inspection date, day and time.
o Additional meeting dates.

8. In-scope findings
• List identified safety deficiencies that are within the scope of the audit, that is,
identify issues that are potentially dangerous or could lead to crashes occurring or
injury resulting. Findings should not be framed as a ‘solution’.
• Show findings in a table in the format shown below:

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 Consequence
Probability
Photo or plan of road safety Description of risk to road

Risk level
Ref.
issue safety

1 Proposed vegetation along 4

Perhaps

Serious
the median may restrict the
driver sight line to
pedestrians or cyclists
within the refuge in the
median.
Compromised stopping
sight distance for
approaching vehicles
increases the risk of a near-
miss, a person being struck
by a vehicle or a vehicle
swerving if pedestrians or
cyclists attempt to cross the
travel lanes in front of
approaching vehicles. Risk
increases in periods of busy
traffic.

9. Out-of-scope findings
• List identified safety deficiencies, design or construction issues that were noticed
and need to be brought to the attention of the client although they are not within the
scope of the audit.
• Out-of-scope findings are not to have a risk rating.

3.8.1 Report terminology

Subjective terms such as ‘unsafe’; ‘sub-standard’; ‘unacceptable’ and ‘deficient’ must
be avoided.
The description of a hazard should not include an implied solution. For example, “the
sharp tree lined bend has no safety barrier” could be worded more descriptively as “the
small radius bend has a safe transit speed which is lower than the speed environment
so has potential for run off road incidents where large trees are present close to the
carriageway”.

3.8.2 No recommendations
In accordance with Section 3.4 of the Roads and Traffic Authority Guidelines for Road
Safety Audit Practices, “the report does not contain suggested actions or
recommendations. These are the responsibility of the project sponsor”.
The Road Safety Audit Report shall not contain any suggested actions or
recommendations on how to resolve identified safety issues. Recommendations shall
not be made under any circumstances.
The actions required to address identified safety issues will be determined by the
project designers and project managers, not the Road Safety Auditor.

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 If recommendations are made, the report will not be accepted and must be amended to
remove recommendations.

3.8.3 Out of scope issues

Road safety issues, design and construction issues that are outside the scope of the
audit may be identified in the report, but they must be listed in an ‘out-of-scope’ table
that is separate to the ‘in-scope’ issues. For example, an audit scoped as focusing on
new construction would separately list safety issues that were noticed in passing on the
adjoining sections of old road. A risk rating is not applied to out-of-scope issues.

3.8.4 Photographs and plans

Photographs or plans of identified safety issues must be included in the report.
If technically possible, issues that exist only at night should be illustrated with a
photograph.
A Road Safety Audit report is a record. The Commonwealth Privacy Act protects
personal information, including a photograph, that is held, or collected for inclusion, in a
‘record’. Avoid including children in photographs as there can be legal issues
associated with including photographs of children in a record without the express
consent of a parent or guardian. Many adults don’t like being photographed either. 6

3.8.5 No issues found

If no road safety issues are found, the auditors must be prepared to submit a report
saying no issues were found, rather than finding trivial issues to have something to put
in the report.

3.8.6 Declaration
The Road Safety Audit Report shall include the following declaration:
The auditors who have signed this report declare that we have reviewed the material
and data listed in this report and identified the risks to road safety. The auditors listed
are independent to the project.
Reasons are given to explain why an identified item is considered a risk to road safety.
Design or construction deficiencies that do not cause a safety problem are not listed.
While effort has been made to identify potential safety problems, no guarantee can be
made that every problem or deficiency has been identified.
It is recommended that identified risks to road safety be investigated and corrective
actions undertaken.

3.8.7 Signatures
In lieu of signatures, the signature box in the report may contain the statement:
Signed in accordance with Section 9 of the Electronic Transactions Act 2000.

6Refer to Australian Law Reform Commission 2008, Australian Privacy Law and Practice: Report 103 Volume 3 Section
69, Commonwealth of Australia, Sydney.

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 The email submitting the report provides traceable evidence “used to identify the
person and to indicate the person’s intention in respect of the information
communicated” Electronic Transactions Act 2000 Section 9 (1) (a).

3.8.1 Copies
One PDF copy of the report is to be provided.

3.9 Completion meeting

3.9.1 Report presented to completion meeting
Section 4.3 of the Guidelines for Road Safety Audit Practices proposes that a draft
Road Safety Audit Report be presented and discussed at the completion meeting. The
report presented should be the final report. Auditors should not be pressured into
changing the final report to suit the convenience of the design team.
The final Road Safety Audit Report should be discussed, but not changed unless:
a) There are factual errors.
b) Recommendations have been included.
c) The risk levels are based on probabilities above 10% that do not have a credible,
evidence-based justification.
d) The audit fails to include a sight distance check.
Then the report must be changed to correct these deficiencies before it will be
accepted.

3.9.2 Completion meeting procedure

The purpose of the completion meeting is to enable the lead auditor, the project
manager and project stakeholders to work together to ensure identified road safety
problems can be resolved.
At a minimum, the completion meeting must be attended by the Lead Road Safety
Auditor, a representative of the Project Manager and the leader of the design team, if a
design is being audited.
The completion meeting will:
a) Handover the Road Safety Audit Report.
b) Describe and discuss each of the issues identified in the audit.
The completion meeting may discuss possible corrective action options for findings.
The corrective options do not form part of the audit report.

3.10 Responding to the Road Safety Audit

The Project Manager and Design Manager will determine a response to the issues
raised in the Road Safety Audit Report. The usual response to risk is:
a) Risk ranking 1 or 2 should be assessed to see if improvements can be made.
b) Risk ranking 3 or 4 require one level of protection or mitigation.
c) Risk ranking 5 or 6 require two levels of protection or mitigation, or removal.

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Treatment options for protection or mitigation are described in the Austroads Guide to
Road Design Part 6: Roadside Design, Safety and Barriers 2020, Section 4 Treatment
Options.

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4. Alternative types of audit
4.1 Road Safety Evaluation
4.1.1 Request for Road Safety Evaluation
If a Road Safety Evaluation is required, it will be specified in the contract.

4.1.2 Definition of Road Safety Evaluation

A Road Safety Evaluation includes a:
a) Road Safety Audit.
b) Road crash investigation.
c) Speed zone review.

4.1.3 Road Safety Audit

The road safety audit component of a Road Safety Evaluation has the same
requirements as a stand-alone Road Safety Audit.

4.1.4 Road crash investigation

A crash investigation is an analysis of the road crash history for a specific period along
existing roads or road related areas for:
a) Identifying crash clusters.
b) Common crash characteristics.
c) Trends in the road crash statistics.
The road crash investigation must be conducted a professional or team of
professionals with qualifications related to crash analysis.

4.1.5 Speed zone review

A speed zone review is a formal assessment of the speed limits along existing roads,
conducted with the intention of providing for the credible and consistent application of
speed limits as well as an appropriate balance between road safety, land use amenity,
transport efficiency and environment on public roads.
A Traffic Engineer with documented experience in speed zone reviews must conduct a
speed zone review.

4.1.6 Reporting a Road Safety Evaluation

A Road Safety Evaluation must be reported by adding ‘Road Crash Investigation’ and
‘Speed Zone Review’ sections to the Road Safety Audit Report format shown in
Section 3.8.2.

4.2 Road Safety Check

4.2.1 Definition of Road Safety Check
A Road Safety Check is a road safety audit conducted by a single person.

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4.2.2 Road Safety Check limitations
A Road Safety Check will not be accepted unless it is specifically required in the
contract.
A Road Safety Check does not benefit from the multi-disciplinary experience and skills
that are in a Road Safety Audit team.
Road Safety Checks are not a comprehensive response to the requirements of safe
systems.
A Road Safety Audit Report prepared by a single individual does not comply with the
requirements of the Austroads Guide to Road Safety Part 6: Road Safety Audit and will
not be accepted.

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5. Basis for risk assessment
5.1 Risk matrix
The risk assessment is based on the Risk Matrix shown in Table 2. This Risk Matrix is
based on mathematical curves and actual crash data documented by the Australian
Government Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities.

Table 2 Risk Matrix

Risk level score

**Probability
 = Low,  = Extreme
*Severity of consequence
Extended
Inconvenient Slight Severe Acute Serious Irreversible
irreversible
Property Slight injury Casualty Acute injury Serious Single Multiple
damage crash crash cost injury crash cost injury fatality crash fatality crash
cost $22,992 crash cost $180,000 crash cost cost cost
$9,257 $59,100 $629,484 $2,463,432 $8,000,000
Fatality Fatality Fatality Fatality Fatality Fatality Fatality
equivalent equivalent equivalent equivalent equivalent equivalent equivalent
0.004 0.009 0.024 0.073 0.256 1.000 3.248
Almost
100% Certain       
45% Credible       
20% Possible       
10% Perhaps       
4.5% Infrequent       
2% Rare       
* Severity of consequence is an exponential relationship y=2314.6e1.1428x
** Part of a power series (1.10)2n
Matrix attribution Neville Prior
Fatality equivalent methodology attribution Karin Nilsson

The risk matrix contains three curves:

a) The exponential curve exhibited by crash costs.
b) A Probability power series curve.
c) A log curve for the Risk Level Score, with fatality-equivalent intercepts at Property
Damage, Acute injury and Single fatality.
Note: Since 2009 the risk matrix in Table 2 has been used as the basis for safety
barrier assessment in the process now managed by Austroads.

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5.2 Risk levels
The logarithmic scale for risk levels reflects the attitudes of a community that takes
risks that may lead to damage (such as using mobile phones while driving) to multiple
fatalities in a single incident. Single crashes rarely result in the upgrade of a road but
the Clybucca bus crash prompted a response that led to the upgrade of the whole
Pacific Highway.

5.3 Crash costs

Crash costs shown in Figure 3 are used as an indicator of crash severity because it is
not ethically possible to place a monetary value on human suffering or death.

9000000

8000000
8000000

7000000

y = 2314.6e1.1428x
6000000
Average crash cost

5000000
2463432 Single fatality

4000000

3000000
629484 Serious injury
9257 Property damaage

2000000
22992 Sight injury

1000000
180000
59100

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Figure 3 Crash costs

Crash costs are derived from the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure,
Regional Development and Cities: Australian Transport Assessment and Planning:
PV2 Road transport: 4. Crash costs: 4.3 Estimation of average crash costs by injury
severity, Table 16 7.

7 1. https://www.atap.gov.au/parameter-values/road-transport/4-crash-costs accessed 16 November 2020.

21
5.4 Injury indicators
Injury indicators used in the Risk Matrix are shown in the Figure 4 training mock-ups.
Casualty injury Acute injury

Figure 4 Injury indicators

Image: Victoria Ambulance Service

5.5 Fatality equivalent

To enable comparisons to be made, injury crashes and fatality crashes are compared
using a fatality equivalent, calculated as:
𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 = 𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐ℎ 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 ÷ 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐ℎ 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐

5.6 Exposure and environment

The exposure and environment components of risk analysis are handled using average
crash costs. Crash costs in various speed environments are shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5 Crash costs by exposure and environment

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 High fatality crash costs in low speed environments presumably relate to the increased
exposure of pedestrians in these environments, which are typically in residential areas
and busy town centres.
The differing crash costs in 80km/h urban and rural environments can also be seen.
The differences in exposure and environment are rolled together in the average crash
costs used in the Risk Matrix.

5.7 Crash causation

Traffic crashes and incidents are random events that require the alignment of several
enablers, known as the Swiss Cheese Model.
The Swiss cheese model likens human systems to multiple slices of Swiss cheese,
stacked side by side. The risk of a threat becoming a reality is mitigated by defences
that are "layered" behind each other. In theory, a crash happens when weaknesses in
the defences align.

Image: Davidmack

Figure 6 Swiss cheese model

5.8 Probability ranking

The Probability ranking is a Power Series curve which relates the probability of
hazardous effect to the descriptor.

5.9 Determining a run-off-road scenario

Auditors should consider research results when deciding whether a run-off-road crash
scenario exists. Refer to Austroads Research Report AP-R628-20: Background to the

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 Development of the 2020 Edition of Guide to Road Design Part 6 8 for graphs showing
the frequency of run-of-road crashes.
Research 9 has shown that in an urban environment with kerbs beside the travelled
lanes:
a) Approximately 80 percent of roadside crashes involved an object with a lateral
offset from the kerb face less than 1.2 metres.
b) More than 90 percent of urban roadside crashes have a lateral offset to kerb of
less than 1.8 metres.
c) Objects on the outside of curves are hit more frequently than objects in other
locations.
For urban locations without a vertical kerb, lateral offsets of 3.6 metres on the outside
of horizontal curves and 2.4 metres on straights are reasonable clearances to objects
when clear zone widths cannot be achieved.

5.10 Risk considerations

When assigning a crash consequence, the auditor shall consider the following findings
on crashes 10 11:
a) Intersection crashes account for approximately 20% of fatalities in Australia.
b) Road users who are not protected by a vehicle are extremely vulnerable in
collisions. The risk of death or serious injury increases markedly over impact
speeds of 30 km/h.
c) Speeds just 5 km/h above average in urban areas and 10 km/h above average in
rural areas are enough to double the risk of a casualty crash.
d) Small reductions in average speeds (even 1 or 2 per cent) result in substantially
greater percentage reductions in deaths and injuries.
e) The chances of surviving a crash decrease rapidly above certain impact speeds:
• Pedestrian struck by vehicle 30 km/h.

• Motorcyclist struck by vehicle 30 km/h.

• Car impacting a tree or pole 40 km/h.

• Side-impact vehicle to vehicle crash 50 km/h.

• Head-on vehicle to vehicle (equal mass) crash 70 km/h.

81. Troutbeck. R. 2020, Research Report AP-R628-20: Background to the Development of the 2020 Edition of Guide to
Road Design Part 6, Austroads, Sydney.

9Dixon, K. K., M. Liebler, H. Zhu, M. P. Hunter, and B. Mattox, B. 2008, National Cooperative Highway Research Report
612: Safe and Aesthetic Design of Urban Roadside Treatments. NCHRP, Transportation Research Board, Washington,
DC.

10Transport and Infrastructure Council 2018, National Road Safety Action Plan 2018-2020, pp 7-8, Commonwealth of
Australia, Canberra.

11 Australian Transport Council 2008, National Road Safety Action Plan 2009 and 2010, pp 30-31, Commonwealth of

Australia, Canberra.

24
 Examples of severity consequence at various speeds are shown in Figure 7 to Figure
11.

Figure 7 50, 70, 90 km/h impact with pole / tree 12

Figure 8 70 km/h impact with pole / tree

12 Pole crash test by the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI), an independent and

internationally prominent research institute in the transport sector, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0cTAuFSPI4

accessed 16 November 2020.

25
 Figure 9 90 km/h impact with pole / tree

Figure 10 60km/h impact with object 13

13 Speeding crash test into object by Crashlab, an internationally accredited testing laboratory of the New South Wales

government, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFjPfewYxWc and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmJWbuJv9Uw

accessed 16 November 2020.

26
Figure 11 100km/h impact with object

27
6. Quality assurance
6.1 Key performance indicators
Key performance indicators for quality assurance are the following reference
documents:
a) AS/NZS ISO 9001 Quality management systems - Requirements.
b) AS 4122-2010 General Conditions of Contract for Consultants (incorporates
Amendment 1).

6.2 Non-transference of responsibility for quality

The sign-off of a deliverable by us does not relieve you of responsibility for the validity
and arithmetical correctness of the calculations and observations.

6.3 Non-conformance of deliverables

6.3.1 Definition of non-conformance
A non-conformance is a departure from an agreed arrangement between a client and
an individual or organisation performing work. An arrangement is an agreement to
conform to:
a) A work product specification.
b) A work product standard.
c) Reporting requirements.
d) A pre-defined procedure.
e) A documented plan.
f) A standard for best practice.

6.3.2 The significance of a non-conformance

The existence of a non-conformance means that some aspect of the organisation’s
quality management system operating procedures is not being followed.

6.3.3 Identification of non-conformances

Non-conformances may be identified by:
a) An audit of the organisation’s quality management system.
b) Presentation of deliverables that:
• Do not conform to the Specification.

• Do not conform to reporting requirements.

• Do not conform to the contract schedule.

• Do not include all components specified for delivery.

• Do not conform to standards and codes.

• Do not meet expectations for comprehensive quality that are normal for the
industry.

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6.3.4 Non-conformance severity
The response to a non-conformance will depend on its severity, defined as:
a) Critical: deliverable is not provided at the specified step in the process or there is
a significant absence of conformance with designated criteria or reporting
requirements as defined by the specification, standards or commonly accepted
industry expectations. This indicates a lack of Design and Development Controls
as required by Section 8.3.4 of the quality standard AS/NZS ISO 9001 and/or
there is no documented evidence of quality review in accordance with Section
9.1.3 of quality standard AS/NZS ISO 9001.
b) Major: deliverable is provided at the specified step in the process but has
inadequate conformance with designated criteria or reporting requirements as
defined by the specification, standards or commonly accepted industry
expectations. This indicates a lack of Design and Development Controls as
required by Section 8.3.4 of the quality standard AS/NZS ISO 9001 and/or there
is a failure of quality review in accordance with Section 9.1.3 of quality standard
AS/NZS ISO 9001.
c) Minor: an isolated deviation from planned process or deliverable conformance or
quality system processes.

6.3.5 Response to non-conformance

The response to non-conformances will be in response to the Standard of Care
requirements of Section 4 of AS 4122-2010 General Conditions of Contract for
Consultants.
The response to non-conformance will depend on the severity of the non-conformance:
a) Critical: We may suspend the performance of the services in accordance with
Section 24 of AS 4122-2010 General Conditions of Contract for Consultants. We
may direct recommencement of services when you have provided documentation
showing the corrective actions taken, in accordance with Section 10.2.2 of
AS/NZS ISO 9001.
If the critical non-conformance is not corrected the services may be terminated in
accordance with the provisions of Section 27 of AS 4122-2010.
b) Major: You will be requested to provide documentation showing the corrective
actions taken, in accordance with Section 10.2.2 of AS/NZS ISO 9001.
c) Minor: An observation for improvement will be issued.

6.4 Audit
We may arrange an audit of the project quality system at any time.

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