Road Safety Audit
Road safety audits are undertaken by staff with experience of collision data analysis, road safety engineering and an understanding of highway design principles such as design requirements and best practice.
All highway improvement schemes will normally require an independent Road Safety Audit, with the exception of ‘like for like’ maintenance schemes. Road Safety Audits aim to identify potential road safety hazards arising from planned changes to the road layout but they are not technical checks against design standards.
In carrying out Road Safety Audits, the Audit team should consider road safety issues for all road users and will ask two key questions of the scheme
- Who could be hurt in a collision on this part of the road and how could that happen?
- What can be done to reduce the potential for that collision or to limit its consequences?
Road Safety Audits
Safety Audits are conducted in accordance with GG119 (formerly HD19/15) of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges.
Road Safety Audits go through four key phases and are as follows:-
Stage 1 Road Safety Audit
- Completion of preliminary design, normally prior to the submission for planning permission
Stage 2 Road Safety Audit
- Completion of detailed design, usually before the tender documents have been submitted
Stage 3 Road Safety Audit
- Completion of construction prior to opening (or completion if on a ‘live’ highway)
Stage 4 Road Safety Audit
- Post opening collision monitoring (12 months after opening of the highway scheme)
Sometimes the Stage 1 and 2 Road Safety Audits can be combined; most often if the works are smaller in nature, or if the principle of the scheme has already been agreed (e.g. if planning permission has been granted without a Stage 1 Safety Audit) and the design is progressing straight to the detailed design stage.
Some highway improvement schemes may not require Stage 4 Road Safety Audits; and it is for the relevant authority to confirm if further collision monitoring/investigation is required.
The Road Safety Audit team members may be from the same organisation undertaking the Highway Improvement scheme design but must be independent of the scheme design/process.
Road Safety Audits may be undertaken on highway schemes covering:
- Major and minor highway improvements
- Traffic management and calming schemes
- Pedestrian and cycling schemes
- Roundabout junctions
- New or amended traffic signal junctions
- Priority junctions
- Motorway improvements
- Temporary Traffic Management in place for 6 months or more
What Our Clients Say:
Highway Statement, Proposed Residential Development, Stockport
Thu 11 June 2020
Transport Assessment, Proposed Residential Development (170 dwellings), Essex
Fri 24 April 2020
Speed Survey, Proposed Private Residential Development – Testimonial
Sat 14 December 2019
Access Feasibility Study, Proposed Private Residential Development – Testimonial
Mon 30 September 2019
Analysis of Speed Survey and Swept Path Analysis
Tue 3 September 2019
Stage 2 Road Safety Audit, Residential, Staffordshire
Tue 16 July 2019
Construction Traffic Management Plan
Mon 15 April 2019
Flood Risk Assessment, Testimonial, Industrial Development, Sheffield
Tue 19 March 2019
Travel Plan
Wed 21 November 2018
Access Appraisal in Support of the Reinstatement of Access to a Residential Dwelling
Tue 7 August 2018
Require Assistance with a Road Safety Audit?
Sanderson Associates have enjoyed over 34 years in business, our experienced engineers have produced Road Safety Audits for a variety of developments throughout the UK, Isle of Man and Ireland.
We would be pleased to provide you with our competitive fee proposal to provide you with a Road Saftey Audit, please call us on 01924 844080 or click here to complete our secure online form.


