Skip navigation

Road Safety

Cover of Addressing High-Risk Crash Locations
Addressing High-Risk Crash Locations
  • Publication no: AP-TN18-26
  • Published: 15 May 2026
  • Edition: 1.0

This Austroads Technical Note covers the treatment of high-risk crash locations. It covers topics including the use of road crash data, identifying crash locations, diagnosing issues and exploring treatment options.

  • 1. Introduction
  • 2. Road Crash Data
    • 2.1 Data Sources and Codes
    • 2.2 Sources of Crash Data
      • 2.2.1 Primary data sources for crash reduction programs
      • 2.2.2 Other data sources
    • 2.3 Limitations and Accuracy of Crash Data
      • 2.3.1 Coding of crash types – DCAs, RUMs and VMCs
  • 3. Identifying Crash Locations
    • 3.1 Defining the Locations
      • 3.1.1 Deciding on a time period
      • 3.1.2 Criteria for selecting locations to investigate for countermeasures
      • 3.1.3 Using a threshold method
      • 3.1.4 Chance variation
    • 3.2 Intersections
    • 3.3 Routes
    • 3.4 Areas of the Road Network
    • 3.5 Mass Action
  • 4. Diagnosing the Crash Problem and Selecting Treatments
    • 4.1 Analysis of Crash Data and Interpretation
      • 4.1.1 Examine crash types (DCA or other similar codes)
      • 4.1.2 Construct a crash factor matrix
      • 4.1.3 Draw a collision diagram
      • 4.1.4 Look for common factors
      • 4.1.5 Writing the preliminary report
    • 4.2 Other Relevant Information
    • 4.3 Site Investigation
      • 4.3.1 Drive through the location
      • 4.3.2 Inspect the location
      • 4.3.3 Consider driver behaviour
      • 4.3.4 Identifying the cause of the crash
    • 4.4 Identification of Crash Causation and Crash Severity Factors
      • 4.4.1 Draw conclusions
      • 4.4.2 Write a crash summary report
      • 4.4.3 Applying the process to area studies and mass action programs
    • 4.5 Countermeasure Selection and Design
      • 4.5.1 What is a safe road environment?
      • 4.5.2 Safe System treatments
      • 4.5.3 Speed management
      • 4.5.4 Enforcement
      • 4.5.5 Match the solutions to the problems
      • 4.5.6 Select the solutions
  • 5. References
Related publications
Guide to Road Safety: Set
AGRS-SET
Guide to Road Safety Part 2: Safe Roads
AGRS02-24
Guide to Road Safety Part 1: Introduction and The Safe System
AGRS01-21
View all related publications
Latest Road Safety News
15 Apr 2026
New Austroads guidance putting people at the centre of safer road system design

Road transport systems involve complex interactions between people, vehicles, technology and the road environment. Understanding how human behaviour interacts with these elements underpins coordinated system design, assessment and operation to improve road safety.
15 Apr 2026
New research sharpens the evidence base for decisions affecting people’ safety when walking

Austroads has released new research that adds depth and clarity to the evidence used to consider pedestrian safety, bringing together economic analysis, equity perspectives and a review of current guidance used in practice.
View all news