Thursday, December 13, 2018

How Road Safety Audit England Is Conducted

By Paul Wilson


Auditing the safety of a road is a process that is performed independent of design and construction processes. This exercise is performed in different stages to ensure that each phase of the development of a highway adheres to standards set in the industry and delivers expected results. There stages of road safety audit England cut across design, construction and commencement of use.

At Stage 1, there is deeper evaluation of the design. This is done by experts who understand engineering and requirements in construction of roads. When the design is right, construction will meet the standards and be safe for users. If mistakes abound on the design phase, the complete project will also be troublesome. Experts will recommend modifications that could be driven by spotted mistakes or the need to achieve efficiency.

Stage 1 pays attention to several factors that will inform construction. Among the most important are drainage and how safely other users beyond the motorists have been catered for. These experts will also want to know the provisions made for visibility. The provision made for people walking and cyclists is also a consideration. Marking on the highway and lighting columns are points of concern.

There is greater assessment of design in stage 2. The experts are interested in features that enhance the usability of a motorway. Some of the issues of concern include overall lighting, junctions and markings on carriageway. Assessment at this level is done by the entire team. This allows them to discuss concerns and make recommendations on modifications to be made. The constructors are required to provide details of intended actions and take modifications made.

Stage 3 audits take place when the constructor has progressed substantially with the work. In fact, at this stage, motorists and other users have begun using it. This enables you to conduct real time assessments. With real use, it is possible to determine the real risks facing motorists that could have been over-passed during design or construction. The team conducting the audit includes local authorities, police and auditors.

Stage three assesses whether the design was accurately implemented during construction, whether there were safety loopholes that developed in the process and were unforeseen, were there any design changes and what was the impact on usage? Local alignment is a concern alongside the quality of visibility. The layout of junctions and provisions made for non-motorized users are also assessed. Other concerns at stage three are lighting, markings on carriageways and signage.

Stage 4 and the last one is continuous monitoring. The first year of usage is critical because errors with design can cause accidents. Keep track of the accidents that happened during the first year and their details so that remedial work can be done on affected sections. Collision monitoring is also done with details on the location and common factors in these accidents.

It is important to deal with professionals during this exercise. Their input helps you to make the right and broad viewed decision. Experienced professionals understand how roads are constructed. They will ensure that you get excellent value for money on your project and have a safe road in perpetuity.




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