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Austroads members have agreed to implement a National Registration Framework for Road Safety Auditors (NRFRSA).
The NRFRSA will be a framework for the registration of trainee auditors, road safety auditors and senior road safety auditors. This will be achieved through improved and consistent requirements and standards for auditor registration, renewal and oversight, along with a road safety audit national training syllabus and nationally approved training providers for the delivery of road safety audit training.
The timing for when road safety auditors will need to transition to the NRFRSA will vary depending on the adoption and transitional timing for the jurisdiction(s) in which they practice. Further details on the transition process and new road safety auditor registrations will be provided closer to the commencement date by each participating jurisdiction.
Prospective training organisations who wish to deliver road safety audit training for the NRFRSA will need to apply to Austroads to become an Approved Training Provider (ATP). The application process to become an ATP will be formally announced by Austroads closer to the commencement date. Prospective training organisations are encouraged to apply when the application process opens to ensure that approvals are in place for the ATP to deliver training under the NRFRSA when it commences operations.
The Road Safety Audit National Training Syllabus details the training programs that will form the National Road Safety Auditor Training. The syllabus provides guidance for training organisations to develop their training material and apply to become approved training providers for the delivery of road safety audit training.The syllabus is supported by Austroads Technical Note 18 – Addressing High-Risk Crash Locations, which covers the treatment of high-risk crash locations.
The syllabus supports four Road Safety Audit National Training Programs. Prospective training organisations will be able to apply to deliver one or more of these programs. The four programs are:
- Road Safety Engineering Program
- Informed Road Safety Audit User Program (Road Safety Audit for Non-auditors)
- Road Safety Auditor Program for Public and Private Roads and Related Areas
- Senior Road Safety Auditor Program for Public and Private Roads and Related Areas
This training program is an optional program for individuals who wish to establish a foundational knowledge of road safety engineering principles on their pathway to road safety auditor registration. Individuals who have already acquired the equivalent road safety engineering foundational knowledge from their practical experience and/or qualifications may choose not to undertake this training program. Successful participants will be able to identify road users and the characteristics of road design.
This training program addresses the skills and knowledge required for those procuring and/or using road safety audits. Successful participants will be able to describe the key components of a Road Safety Strategy, the Safe System approach to road safety, identify the key features of a road safety audit and how road safety audits integrate into the overall strategy, and understand their role in the road safety audit process.
This training program addresses the skills and knowledge required for individuals seeking to become trainee auditors and aspiring to register as road safety auditors. Successful participants will be able to describe the key components of a Road Safety Strategy, the Safe System approach to road safety, identify the key features of a road safety audit and how road safety audits integrate into the overall strategy, and understand their role in the road safety audit process. They will also be able to identify the traits of a professional road safety auditor and prepare for and undertake a road safety audit under the guidance of a Senior Road Safety Auditor.
This training program addresses the skills and knowledge required for individuals aspiring to register as a senior road safety auditor. Successful participants will be able to prepare for and lead an audit commencement meeting, lead an audit including allocating tasks to team auditors, and finalise and present the audit report to the client.
Each jurisdiction maintains its own local policies and/or guidance on road safety auditing. Approved training providers and road safety auditors must ensure that they familiarise themselves with any local policies and guidance for the jurisdictions in which they are conducting road safety audits.
Links to each Australian road agency’s road safety guidance are below:
- New South Wales: Guidelines for Road Safety Audit Practices | Transport for NSW
- Northern Territory: Road safety audits | Department of Logistics and Infrastructure
- Queensland: Queensland Guide to Road Safety (QGRS) (Department of Transport and Main Roads)
- South Australia: Road Safety Audits | Department for Infrastructure and Transport South Australia
- Tasmania: Road Safety Audit | Department of State Growth Tasmania
- Victoria:
- Western Australia: Road Safety Auditing and Crash Investigation | Main Roads Western Australia
New Zealand’s approach to safe system audits differs and is presented in Safe System audits | NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi
National Harmonisation of Road Safety Audit Practice: Benefit-Cost Analysis – describes the costs and benefits of a nationally harmonised and managed approach to road safety audit practices.
Road Safety Audit National Training Syllabus – the syllabus for the training programs that form the National Road Safety Auditor Training.
Austroads Technical Note 18 – Addressing High-Risk Crash Locations – a useful resource when preparing curriculum aligned with the road safety audit national training syllabus.