The objective of this synthesis is to document state departments of transportation’s (DOTs) current practices related to road safety audits (RSAs). RSAs are a proactive and formal safety performance examination of an existing or future road or intersection by an independent, multidisciplinary team. RSAs qualitatively estimate and report on potential road safety issues and identify opportunities for improvements in safety for all road users. 

This synthesis gathered information through a literature review, a survey of DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected DOTs. Six case examples provide additional information on RSAs. Some topics discussed in the case examples include general approaches and experiences, processes to select RSA locations, RSA team composition, resources to support RSAs, implementation of RSA recommendations, partnerships with other agencies, and challenges to conducting RSAs.

Henry Brown, Dr. Praveen Edara, Ph.D., and Dr. Zhu Qing, Ph.D. of the University of Missouri, and Kendra Schenk of Burgess and Niple collected and synthesized the information and wrote the report. The members of the topic panel are acknowledged on page iv. This synthesis is an immediately useful document that records practices that were acceptable within the limitations of the knowledge available at the time of its preparation. Appendix C is available as an additional information collected through synthesis effort. Appendix C contains resources on RSAs from international sources and state DOTs to tools, case examples, specific types of RSAs.

The final report is available at: https://doi.org/10.17226/27648.