Austroads has published new updates to its Guide to Road Safety (AGRS), including infrastructure treatments and solutions that enhance safety.
Major revisions have been made to Guide to Road Safety Part 2: Safe Roads and Part 7: Road Safety Strategy and Management. Minor updates have been made to Parts 3, 4 and 5.
Austroads Road Safety & Design Program Manager, Michael Nieuwesteeg, said, “The Austroads Guide to Road Safety is an important resource for road safety practitioners across Australia and New Zealand.
“The Road Safety Task Force identifies projects each year to help ensure the content of the Guide is up-to-date and incorporates the latest findings and knowledge.”
“The Guide provides road safety practitioners with the knowledge and techniques to enable the application of Safe System principles.”
The updates to Part 2 have expanded the contemporary infrastructure treatments in the Guide including intersection treatments, treatments in urban environments and solutions to enhance the safety of people walking and cycling.
The new Part 2 is designed to promote a systemic approach to treating road safety risk and advocates the use of a hierarchical Safe System treatment approach. This new approach prioritises treatments that are most effective at reducing risk and identifies secondary treatments that could be considered if physical or financial barriers prevent the implementation of primary solutions.
The new Part 2 also highlights infrastructure solutions suited to local roads. This is crucial given the scale of road trauma on local roads and the need of local government practitioners for solutions tailored to their local road environments.
The changes to Part 7 of the Guide have also broadened its scope. Part 7 now encompasses broader network-wide concepts and procedures. It includes network safety planning, future state modelling and movement and place frameworks.
Mr Nieuwesteeg said the new changes make the guide more accessible and relevant to a broader audience.
“It’s not only road safety practitioners.
“Decision-makers, planners, elected officials and other stakeholders will find benefit in the updated guides.”
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