Is Local Government Addressing The Implementation Issues In Road Safety Audit?

Abstract

This paper examines some of the issues facing local government in the implementation of the road safety audit process. RSA’s have been accepted and implemented by state road authorities in Australia but there remains a question mark over their acceptance by local government. Local government implementation is essential if the benefits of RSA are to be maximised. Little research has been done into RSA in Victorian municipalities, and it is this area that this paper examines. Much of the literature currently available suggests that RSA’s have great potential to provide benefits both in terms of safety and reduced whole-of-life costs. However, there is a perception amongst many that there is a lack of enthusiasm for RSA amongst local government in Australia. This paper examines the degree and effectiveness of RSA implementation by examining some of the issues of concern. It presents the results of a pilot study of RSA in local government authorities throughout Victoria and makes a number of recommendations to improve the implementation rate and effectiveness of road safety audit in local government.