Directive 2008/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on road infrastructure safety management (c. 96)

ANNEX II ROAD SAFETY AUDITS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

1. Criteria at the draft design stage:

(a)

geographical location (e.g. exposure to landslides, flooding, avalanches), seasonal and climatic conditions and seismic activity;

(b)

types of and distance between junctions;

(c)

number and type of lanes;

(d)

kinds of traffic admissible to the new road;

(e)

functionality of the road in the network;

(f)

meteorological conditions;

(g)

driving speeds;

(h)

cross-sections (e.g. width of carriageway, cycle tracks, foot paths);

(i)

horizontal and vertical alignments;

(j)

visibility;

(k)

junctions layout;

(l)

public transport and infrastructures;

(m)

road/rail level crossings.

2. Criteria for the detailed design stage:

(a)

layout;

(b)

coherent road signs and markings;

(c)

lighting of lit roads and intersections;

(d)

roadside equipment;

(e)

roadside environment including vegetation;

(f)

fixed obstacles at the roadside;

(g)

provision of safe parking areas;

(h)

vulnerable road users (e.g. pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists);

(i)

user-friendly adaptation of road restraint systems (central reservations and crash barriers to prevent hazards to vulnerable users).

3. Criteria for the pre-opening stage:

(a)

safety of road users and visibility under different conditions such as darkness and under normal weather conditions;

(b)

readability of road signs and markings;

(c)

condition of pavements.

4. Criteria for early operation: assessment of road safety in the light of actual behaviour of users.

Audits at any stage may involve the need to reconsider criteria from previous stages.