Road Safety Audit

• Overview of the NHDOT Road Safety Audit Process (TAC presentation, 9/17/20)

A Road Safety Audit (RSA) is a formal safety performance examination of an existing intersection by an independent audit team. The audit team is made from a diverse group of stakeholders representing multiple disciplines and may include local officials such as police and fire chiefs; business and land owners adjacent to the site; NHDOT engineering staff; and a Facilitator (typically a Consultant hired by the NHDOT) to conduct the RSA.  

Funding of improvements is determined through the evaluation of several factors and may require some level of municipal participation. Factors looked at in determining potential improvement funding sources and levels include: ownership of roadway, magnitude of cost, safety benefits anticipated, and priorities of the program. The Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds managed by the NHDOT may fund a number of improvements based on these factors as well as other Department concerns. Two key factors in determining if the HSIP program can support potential improvement using HSIP funds are the benefit-cost ratio for the particular improvement and the demands on the funds for other safety improvements being considered in other locations around the State. This determination generally happens after the audit has occurred and State HSIP program officials have evaluated the factors stated. 

Benefits of an RSA program:

• RSAs pro-actively address safety  ​​​
• RSA audited designs should produce fewer, less severe crashes
• RSAs identify low-cost/high–value improvements
• RSAs enhance consistency in how safety is considered and promote a “safety culture”
• RSAs provide continuous feedback on safety issues for future projects
• RSA support optimized savings of money, time and most importantly lives. 

NHDOT accepts RSA applications on a rolling basis.