ENG09036 2020 Principles of Road Safety Engineering and Audit

Critique and interpret the roles and responsibilities of organisations in Ireland relating to road safety and the requirements and implications of the implementation of the EU Road Infrastructure Safety Management Directive 2008/96/EC

Investigate the causes of road collisions and evaluate the efficacy of relevant data collection methodologies and data analysis techniques.

Critique current road safety engineering processes, conflicts, remedial options, accident investigation, and economic analysis methodologies.

Appreciate the requirements for rural and urban road network design, speed management, and the specification of facilities for the general safety and protection of vulnerable and non-motorised users.

Appraise the roles and responsibilities associated with current Irish road safety and quality auditing processes for both audit and design teams.

Propose potential solutions based on risk analysis and hazard identification for both rural and urban road schemes at specified stages of road planning, design, construction and operation.

Communicate effectively and critically the outcomes of both design and construction stage audits to the design team and other representatives of the employer and contractor where appropriate, and evaluate designer responses based on best practice technical and operational knowledge.

Report critically on the findings of road safety and urban road quality audits at the specified stages using acquired knowledge and expertise pertaining to selected scheme case studies..

The teaching and learning strategy is based on the provision of live and recorded on-line lectures, Moodle (VLE) resources, and independent learning that incorporates elements of enquiry and project-based learning for individual practical and project work and reporting of findings.

The assessment incorporates a blend of final written examination and practical assignments. The learner must achieve a grade of 40% or higher in order to achieve a pass in this module.

The learner must undertake repeat final written examination and/or continuous assessment project work depending on the particular failed element(s) to achieve an overall pass grade.

Lecture (Theory):

1. Introduction to Road Safety Engineering: Introduction, context and background. Roles and responsibilities. EU RISM Directive.  Road User Types and Attributes. Trends and developments in Ireland & EU.
2. Data sources and data recording systems, Mapping and exposure of data. Identification of high collision locations (HCL). Definition of safety problem. 
3. Collision causation. Comparison of  design standards and collision records to define ‘safety problems'. Conflict studies.
4. Safety engineering processes. Site and route solutions and area-wide studies.
5. Road safety engineering statistical analysis: Descriptive statistics and ​​​​​​statistical evaluation. Road Safety Models. 
6. Evaluation of safety improvement options. Economic assessment and collision savings. First Year Rate of Return (FYRR).
7. Collision prevention engineering measures. Safe systems approaches. Forgiving Roadsides. Behaviour, enforcement & education.
8. Designing for VRU. Designing in urban areas. Other types of road audit, including urban road and street quality audits.
9. TII Road Safety Auditing (RSA) Standards and Guidelines: Process: Roles and Responsibilities. Audit Team Qualifications.
10. Design Stage Audits: RSA Stages 1 & 2.  Process, examples, differences between Stages 1 & 2.
11. RSA Problem Location Identification and Mapping. Designer Responses to RSA Report Findings.
12. Construction Stage Audits: RSA Stages 3 & 4. RSA Stage F.
13. Road Safety Inspection. Road Safety Impact Assessment.
14. TII Design Standards.Traffic Management Guidelines. Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS). Vulnerable Road Users (VRU).
15. Speed management guidelines and procedures.

Practical (Assignments): 

Road Safety Engineering:

1. Stick Diagram Exercise.
2. Conflict Study.
3. Behaviour, Enforcement & Education Study.
4. Road Safety Engineering Measures, Prioritisation & Evaluation of Options (FYRR) Assignment.

Road Safety Auditing:

1. Stage 2 RSA Review.
2. Stage 2 RSA Report on recommendations appropriate to Design Stage.
3. Stage F RSA or Collision Modification Factor (CMF) Study.