Monday, 9 April 2018
Austroads has released a report that provides best practice recommendations for the development of Road Safety Infrastructure Programs (RSIPs) that align with the safe system approach.
For many years, investment in road safety infrastructure in Australia and New Zealand has adopted a bottom-up approach of targeting safety improvements at locations with an established safety problem. This is commonly delivered through crash reduction programs, and black-spot and black route analyses and treatments. While this approach served Australia and New Zealand well in the past, the ability to achieve safety benefits based on reactive risk assessments and treatments has become increasingly difficult. This approach does not fully align with the safe system philosophy on which Australian and New Zealand road safety strategies are based.
The report’s recommendations provide practical information on ways to make greater fatal and serious casualty savings from road safety infrastructure investment by improving program design, process and implementation. When implemented by road controlling authorities this best practice approach will effectively contribute towards an enduring and safer transport system with fewer fatalities and serious injuries.
To help understand the RSIP development and delivery process, the best practice recommendations are broken into six stages:
- Strategic direction
- Risk identification
- Countermeasure identification and development
- Program development and approval
- Project design and delivery
- Monitoring and evaluation
Jurisdictions across Australia and New Zealand are implementing many initiatives that exemplify best practice in RSIP principles development. Several case studies are presented in this report which represent a sample of those initiatives.
Report link: Best Practice in Road Safety Infrastructure Programs
Webinar: Best Practice in Road Safety Infrastructure Programs
This webinar, presented on 15 May 2018, provides best practice recommendations for the development of Road Safety Infrastructure Programs (RSIPs) that align with the safe system approach. The webinar was presented by Paul Durdin and Dave Smith. Download the presentation slides.