Safe System Auditing – principles to practice
Keywords: General
ACRS
Submission Date: 2015 Conference: ARSC
Abstract
The Safe System is a road safety philosophy that requires the road system to be designed and managed so that death and serious injury are avoidable. It consists of four core interrelated components: safer roads, safer speeds, safer vehicles, and safer people. It is a well-known principle that has been philosophically adopted by road authorities such as VicRoads. Converting the principle into action has been slower – because the natural tendency when undertaking infrastructure projects is to adopt normal practice and follow existing guidelines. Safe System Auditing is one tool being used by VicRoads to convert Safe System principles into practice._x000D_
_x000D_Safe System Auditing is the formal safety examination of a road related program, project or initiative. such as:_x000D_
* an existing road, intersection or length,_x000D_
* a road investment project, whether at feasibility, design or pre-opening stage,_x000D_
* a community road safety program or funding application,_x000D_
* a road transport policy or strategy._x000D_
_x000D_Safe System Audits distinctly ‘raise the bar’ beyond the work of a Road Safety Audit (RSA). A RSA qualitatively estimates and reports on potential road safety issues and identifies opportunities for improvements in safety traditional sense, but does not measure compliance with Safe System principles. _x000D_
_x000D_VicRoads has engaged Safe System Solutions Pty Ltd to undertake a number of Safe System Audits of infrastructure projects the results of which will be described in this paper_x000D_