COMMON ROAD SAFETY ISSUES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED
These common road safety issues shown in the photographs below are real examples. As part of our audits, we can help our customers to make a simple plan on paper of the proposed site. By doing this, we can eliminate a number of potential design issues before you actually complete the work, and then later find the problem.
By completing our simple design process stage before build, we can save you both time and money on your project.
Common Issues identified in Road Safety Audits.
- Issues with Vertical and horizontal alignment particularly at junctions and roundabouts
- TacTile paving issues
- Safety barrier issues
- Visibility issues
- Road markings and signage
- ‘See through’ issues at signals
- Tie in points between new road layout and existing road layout
- Issues with shared space (Particularly for partially sighted pedestrians)
The following examples show typical issues that a Road Safety Audit may identify in a scheme.
Tactile Paving
This image shows a new footway enhancement scheme but the tactile's blend in so it becomes unclear to a partially sighted pedestrian that there is a controlled crossing in the vicinity . Tactile paving for a controlled crossing must have a 50% contrast in colour to the surrounding area
Footway Enhancement
This images shows that a new scheme footway enhancement has resulted in two different types of tactile which indicate an uncontrolled crossing point (Buff colour – Far side) and red colour indicating a controlled crossing point such as zebra, puffin crossing etc) this could cause confusion as to what type of crossing it is, particularly for the partially sighted pedestrian. In addition the crossing points don’t align which could lead to slip trip and fall incidents.
Road Surface Drop to Verge
Here we can see that the road has been resurfaced by overlaying . This has created a significant drop from the road surface to the verge on the outside radius of a right hand bend. Any errant vehicle leaving the road at this point may struggle to recover
Poorly Positioned Gully
Poorly positioned gully located centrally in crossing area. This may led to pedestrian slips trips and falls or wheels of pushchairs getting caught in the grate cover.
Road Signs
This example shows a poorly sited road sign. Although the safety barrier is passively safe any errant vehicle may still hit the road sign which remains unprotected. The sign is also located within the working width of the barrier.
Hidden Road Sign
Again this shows a poorly positioned road sign. Motorists may miss this critical no entry sign and travel the wrong way on a one way road.
Conflicting Directions
These signal heads convey conflicting directions and may lead to confusion. It would have been better not to have these signal heads side by side
Road Markings
These road markings on the approach to a signalised roundabout may result in some motorist (Particularly Foreign) that they can turn right here at the signals rather than go around the roundabout.
Confusing Road Speed
The motorists needs clear direction as to what they are expected to do. What does the road alignment show here? Does the road go to the left or the right? And also what is the speed limit here? The road ahead is actually a 30mph limit entering the village and the national speed limit is actually for the side road which in this image looks like the main road ahead.
Confusing Signals
See through at signals can be an issues particularly during the hours of darkness or at signalised roundabouts. Here in this instance we can see a pedestrian crossing in close proximity to a signal junction in the foreground. A motorist could become confused as to which signal they are supposed to look at.
How audits can help?
Whether you are a developer who may need an RSA to be done as part of the planning process
or Section 278 or section 38 agreements or you don’t have the expertise to undertake Road
Safety Audits then Shropshire Road Safety Services can help
If you would like to see how Shropshire Road Safety Service’s can help find your Traffic Solution, then get a FREE NO OBLIGATION QUOTE by contacting us today.