GUIDE TO ROAD SAFETY PART 6 : ROAD SAFETY AUDIT

CHECKLIST 4: PRE-OPENING STAGE AUDIT

Issue Yes No Comment

4.1 General topics

4.1.1 Changes since previous audit; translation of
design into practice
General check: have any matters that have changed since
a previous audit been executed safely?
Has the translation of the design into practice been
executed safely?

4.1.2 Drainage

Is the drainage of the road and surrounds adequate?

4.1.3 Climatic conditions

Are any facilities put in place to counter climatic problems

effective?

4.1.4 Landscaping

Is the planting and species selection appropriate from a

safety point of view?
Is vegetation/landscaping ‘frangible’ in locations where
vehicles may run off the road?
Is visibility maintained past or over vegetation/landscaping
(particularly for pedestrian safety)? Will this continue to be
so once plants grow and mature?

4.1.5 Services

Are all boxes, pillars, posts and lighting columns located in

safe positions?
Are they of appropriate materials or design?

4.1.6 Access to property and developments

Are all accesses safe for their intended use?

Are all accesses adequate, particularly in terms of design,
location and visibility?

4.1.7 Emergency vehicles and access

Are the provisions for emergency vehicle access and

stopping safe?

4.1.8 Batter treatment

Will the batter treatment prevent or limit debris falling on to

the carriageway?

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Issue Yes No Comment

4.1.9 Shoulders and edge delineation

Are all delineators and reflectors correctly in place?

4.1.10 Signs and markings

Are all signs and pavement markings correctly in place?

Will they remain visible at all times (day and night)?

Are new markings consistent with existing markings?

(check with adjacent road network)

Have old signs and markings been removed?

Have all potentially confusing circumstances been avoided

or removed?

4.1.11 Surface treatment; skid resistance

Are all joints in surfacing free of excessive bleeding or low-

skid resistance?

Have all trafficked areas been checked for similar

problems, including loose metal?

4.1.12 Contrast with markings

Do the installed road markings have sufficient contrast

with the road surface and are they clear of debris?

4.1.13 Roadside hazards

Is the scheme free of newly installed or overlooked

roadside hazards?

4.1.14 Natural features

Is the scheme free of natural features (for example, a

bank, rock or major tree) that will be a roadside hazard or
an obstruction to visibility?

4.1.15 All road users

Is safety adequate for:

 pedestrian movements? (pedestrians of all ages)
 bicycle/non-motorised vehicle movements?
 truck and bus movements?
 motorcycle movements?
 car movements?

4.1.16 Speed zoning

Has the appropriate speed zone been selected?

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Issue Yes No Comment

4.2 Alignment details

4.2.1 Visibility; sight distances

Are sight lines free of obstructions?

4.2.2 New/existing road Interface

Additional signs and/or markings: have they been

considered and provided where required?

4.2.3 Readability by drivers

Is the form and function of the road and its traffic

management easily recognised under likely operating
conditions? (for example, under heavy traffic, minimal
traffic or poor visibility conditions)

Is the transition from old work to new work satisfactory?

(i.e. no uncertainty or ambiguity at the transition)

4.2.4 Bridges and culverts

Are all markings and signs in place and conspicuous?

4.3 Intersections

4.3.1 Visibility of intersection

Will drivers approaching the intersection be aware of its

presence? (especially if required to give way)

4.3.2 Visibility at intersection

Are all visibility displays clear for the different driver eye
heights of cars, trucks, bicycles, motorcycles, vehicles with
restricted visibility?

4.3.3 Readability by drivers

Is the form and function of the intersection clear to drivers

on all approaches? (check by driving)

Are Give Way or Stop lines visible in time? Are there

sufficient visual cues to prevent overshooting into the
conflicting traffic?

4.3.4 Traffic signals

Is the alignment of lanterns and general correctness of

installation satisfactory?

Are all applicable lanterns visible from each approach lane

at the appropriate distances?

Are all traffic signals functioning properly and safely?

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Issue Yes No Comment

Are all pedestrian signals functioning correctly and safely?

4.3.5 Roundabouts and approach islands

Are the roundabout and islands fully visible and

recognisable from all approaches?
Are all signs, markings and lighting correctly in place?

4.4 Special road users

4.4.1 Adjacent land

Is fencing adequate, particularly on roads where

pedestrians and animals are not allowed?

4.4.2 Pedestrians

Are all pedestrian facilities likely to operate safely

regarding:
 visibility?
 signs?
 surfacing?
 fencing?
 the operation of other hardware, including
 lighting?
 wheel chairs and prams?
 visually impaired people?
4.4.3 Cyclists

Are all cycleways, lanes, etc. and facilities likely to operate

safely regarding:
 visibility?
 signs?
 surfacing?
 fencing?
 the operation of other hardware, including
lighting?

4.4.4 Motorcyclists

Has the location of devices or objects that might

destabilise a motorcycle been avoided on the road
surface?

Is the roadside clear of obstructions where motorcyclists

may lean into curves?

Will warning or delineation be adequate for motorcyclists?

Has barrier kerb been avoided in high-speed areas?

In areas more likely to have motorcycles run off the road is

the roadside forgiving or safely shielded?

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Issue Yes No Comment

Are all unnecessary poles, posts and devices removed or

appropriately shielded?

Are drainage pits and culverts traversable by motorcycle?

4.4.5 Equestrians

Are all relevant facilities likely to operate safely regarding:

 visibility?
 signs?
 other special features?

4.5 Lighting, signs and delineation

4.5.1 Lighting

Is all lighting operating and, from a safety point of view, is

it effective?

4.5.2 Signs

Are the correct signs used and are they correctly placed?

In daylight and darkness, are signs satisfactory regarding:

 conspicuousness?
 clarity of message?
 readability/legibility at the required distance?

Is sign retroreflectivity or illumination satisfactory?

Are any variable message signs operating satisfactorily?

Are all signs necessary?

Can all signs be seen (i.e. not hidden or camouflaged by

their background or adjacent distractions)?

4.5.3 Marking and delineation

Is all delineation and road marking placed correctly and

fully visible?

Are RRPMs fully visible with correct spacings, colour,

etc.?

Are all other delineation devices correctly installed

(especially location, type and size)?

Are guide posts adequate and properly spaced?

Are guide post delineators operating adequately at night?

Reflectors on crash barrier: are they the correct type, level

and spacing and not misleading in alignment?

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Issue Yes No Comment

Are all road markings clearly visible at all times to

motorists and other road users?

Is there continuity and uniformity of delineation and

markings through the scheme and at transitions?

4.6 Physical objects

4.6.1 Median barriers

Are all necessary median barriers in place and properly

signed or delineated?

Are barriers placed so that they do not restrict visibility or

form a roadside hazard?

4.6.2 Poles and other obstructions

Are all poles and sign structure bases safely designed and
appropriately located?

Is the scheme free of any other poles or obstructions that

may have been missed in other checks?

Otherwise, are obstructions suitably shielded?

4.6.3 Crash barriers

Are all crash barriers in place and safely located (not a

hazard in themselves)?

Is the length of any guard fence adequate?

Is the guard fence correctly installed, regarding:

 end treatments?
 anchorages?
 post spacing?
 block outs?
 post depth?
 rail overlap?
 stiffening at rigid obstacles?

4.7 Operation

4.7.1 Operation

Are all operating features working satisfactorily and can

access be gained to them safely?

4.7.2 Traffic management

Do all traffic management devices function properly when

observed from a moving vehicle?

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Issue Yes No Comment

4.7.3 Temporary traffic control/management

Have all temporary arrangements, signing, etc. been

removed and replaced by final arrangements? (for
example, signs, signals, lines, construction accesses and
temporary barriers)

4.7.4 Safety aspects not already covered

Has the scheme been driven and walked to identify any

potential problems not already dealt with?
Have all other matters which may have a bearing on
safety been addressed?

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