Doha: Qatar Transportation and Traffic Safety Centre at Qatar University’s (QU) College of Engineering in collaboration with the International Road Federation (IRF), World Conference on Transport Research Society, and Khatib & Alami Consolidated Engineering Company organised an international technical workshop entitled ‘Introduction to Road Safety Audits.’
The workshop aimed to build knowledge and understanding around the importance and benefits of RSAs, which are one of the main risk assessment tools that can be applied at successive stages of road planning, design, and operations. Furthermore, it provided introductory knowledge on the scope and procedure of RSAs and the role and skills of the RSA team. More than 1,100 international experts on road safety attended the workshop from more than 55 countries.
Dr. Mohammed Al Qaradawi, the Director of Qatar Transportation and Traffic Safety Centre, said that the workshop is part of the centre’s continuous efforts to join expertise with international partners to disseminate knowledge and awareness in road safety. This workshop highlights the centre’s role in advancing research and knowledge in traffic safety and contributing to the community locally and internationally.
During the workshop, distinguished experts from International Road Federation (IRF) and Public Works Authority (Ashghal) delivered technical presentations addressing different issues related to road safety audits.
The workshop was coordinated and moderated by Dr. Wael Alhajyaseen, Associate Professor at Qatar Transportation and Traffic Safety Centre and Chair of the ‘Traffic Safety Analysis and Policy’ group in the World Conference on Transport Research Society.
Susanna Zammataro, IRF Director General, provided an overview of the Global Plan for the new UN Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021-2030).
The target for the new decade is to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by at least 50% from 2021 to 2030. The Global Plan, which will be officially released on October 28, 2021, describes what is needed to achieve that target and calls on governments and other stakeholders to implement an integrated safe system approach. Capacity building for road safety professionals is recognised as being a top priority in the plan.
Eur. Ing. Miguel-Angel Serrano Santos, a senior Road Safety Specialist at the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), led the technical presentations about Road Safety Audits.
He addressed the Road Safety Management systems and the role of Road Safety Audits, highlighting the need to have unified procedures and criteria for having accredited experts, well-trained and independent Road Safety Auditors, and senior Road Safety Specialists.
He also discussed the consideration of road safety during the road design stage. He emphasised that complying with the current design standards does not necessarily guarantee road safety. Thus, designers must understand the analysis and comments made by Road Safety Specialists when performing a Road Safety Audit. This will enable them to incorporate the standard problems and comments usually identified by Road Safety
Auditors in advance of their proposed designs. Economically, this will save time and costs for all parties involved.
Road traffic crashes and resulting fatalities and injuries are among the most challenging issues facing the world community.
The newly adopted UN Resolution on ‘Improving Global Road Safety’ encourages member states to ensure the safety and protection of all road users through safer road infrastructure and to take into account the needs of motorised and non-motorised transport, and other vulnerable road users, through a combination of proper planning, road safety assessment and audits performed at different stages of projects (design, construction, operation and maintenance of roads.) Road traffic injuries are the eighth leading cause of death.
The new resolution declares a new Decade of Action (2021-2030) with the objective to halve road deaths and injuries by 2030.
