TG „Road Safety“
Road Safety Impact Assessment (RIA)
Fact sheet and common conclusions
1. Harmonized definition of Road Safety Impact Assessment
A Road Safety Impact Assessment (RIA) designates a comparative scenario analysis of the
impact that different variants of alignment or interconnection points of new roads or a
substantial modification to the existing network will have on the safety performance of the
total (new + adjacent) road network.
The RIA is conducted before the alignment is finalised. Generally the RIA is carried out as
part of a broader impact assessment which could include environment, traffic, etc. Decisions
are taken based on all aspects of the evaluation.
2. Effects and benefits of Road Safety Impact Assessment
Taking into account the results of international studies such as RIPCORD/ISEREST, the
conclusion is that at this moment it is not possible to give an estimation of the effects and
benefits of applying a RIA. Still, a few things should be mentioned:
1. Applying a RIA is useful, because there are a lot of improvements for road safety
possible in a regional road network, because the new road (or substantial modification)
will give another distribution and consistency of traffic. This new distribution should be
supported by changing of the functions and the reconstruction of the roads in the regional
network. This will give a substantial part of the effect of a RIA.
2. A Road Safety Impact Assessment should result in practical recommendations to be
implemented in the subsequent design stages.
3. CEDR member countries’ experience with RIA
Eleven countries apply a RIA in accordance with the above-mentioned definition (see Table
1). The other 13 countries do not intend to implement RIA in the near future. The results of
applying a RIA will be used for the decision about continuing the project. Sometimes an
additional improvement for road safety has been required. In the countries where RIA has
been adopted, it is usually carried out by the National Road Administration.
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In Norway the Norwegian Public Road Administration has been applying RIA since early
1980 as part of a broader impact assessment. The RIA is mandatory for all major projects.
In The Netherlands the Ministry of Transport prescribes the RIA (1980) for larger road
projects. They use the method “Economic Impact Overview” of all aspects dealing within
road projects. Since 2000 all large infrastructure projects (special state projects) are subject
to the guidelines described by the “Overview of Infrastructure Effects (Overzicht Effecten
Infrastructuur – OEI)” procedure. Since 2004 this procedure has also been adopted for
transport and infrastructure planning projects. Integrated into this procedure is an
assessment of safety impacts, including road safety.
In Germany road projects which are part of the Bundesverkehrswegeplan (German transport
master plan BVWP) are economically evaluated with regard to 9 different evaluation
components. This evaluation comprises among other aspects a comparison of the predicted
accident frequency between the with-case and the without-case and is mandatory for
national road projects. The results of this evaluation determine the implementation and
degree of priority of projects. There are official rules for carrying out this evaluation
(Evaluation methodology of the transport master plan). For projects which are not part of the
BVWP there are “Recommendations for Economic Evaluations of Road Projects” (EWS-97)
also including road safety aspects.
Ireland calls this RIA the Feasibility stage within the RSA. For this purpose they use the
checklists from the “Road Safety audit guidelines” from the “Design Manual for Roads and
bridges”.
Italy applies the RIA for major projects as part of a mandatory requirement for full impact
assessments to be carried out in the planning process.
Table 1: The application of RIA in CEDR member countries
Road Safety Impact Assessment in CEDR member countries
CEDR Country
Austria
Belgium
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
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Application Mandatory/voluntary Guideline/Directive
[Yes/No]
[M/V]
[Yes/No]
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
M
M
V
M
M
M
M
-
CEDR TG Road Safety
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
-
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Road Safety Impact Assessment in CEDR member countries
CEDR Country
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Slovenia
Sweden
Switzerland
Spain
UK
Application Mandatory/voluntary Guideline/Directive
[Yes/No]
[M/V]
[Yes/No]
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
M
M
M
M
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
The UK apply the RIA for national roads as part of a mandatory requirement for full impact
assessments to be carried out in the planning process. Besides the main reference
document “Scheme Assessment Reporting”, they use several other documents.
Since 1994 Finland voluntarily uses the tool “TARVA” to estimate road safety effects of road
improvements on all types of roads.
Denmark applies a RIA when an Environmental Impact Assessment is required. In some
special cases RIA is also applied without Environmental Impact Assessments.
France does not consider that RIA is properly used for new roads or substantial modification
of its network. Although there is not a specific impact assessment for road safety, this item is
part of a multi-thematic assessment made at the feasibility stage of the main road projects (€
85 million cost about).
4. Common Conclusion of the CEDR TG “Road Safety” on RIA
RIA often forms an integral part of the study for a new road or a substantial modification to
the existing network. The RIA should be applied to projects involving national roads and also
roads that (will) have an important regional function.
RIA is a useful instrument to increase road safety at an early stage of a project. It makes
transparent why the infrastructure provider (owner) chooses one variant of a new road to be
built or reconstructed from the road safety point of view.
Before adopting a project, it is important to know what impacts it could have on road safety
with a scientific method. Consequently, it is important to exchange best practice on these
methods. It is the responsibility of the infrastructure provider (owner) to take this assessment
into account in his decision concerning the road project.
It is a strong opinion of the group that RIA is important for improving road safety in the very
early planning stage.
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