Introduction

In Malaysia, road safety has become the primary result of continuing high incidences of road
crashes. Fatalities due to road crashes are stated as one of the main causes of death in the
country. The economic loss to the nation as a result of casualties goes into billions of Ringgit per
year by way of loss in output and medical, insurance, administration and property damage cost.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics indicate that traffic crashes have become a
serious public health concern. Annually more than a million people lose their lives and well over
2.5 million people are injured in the traffic crashes. It is envisaged that traffic incidents which
ranked ninth in 1990 would rise to an unbelievable third position by the year 2020.
The scenario in Malaysia is no less dampening with daily deaths from road crashes hitting
double digits and the number of those injured in triple digits. A Road Safety Audit is an
evaluation of a highway improvement scheme during design, at the end of construction and postconstruction, to identify road safety problems and to suggest measures to eliminate or mitigate
any concerns. Road Safety Audits are undertaken by teams of specialists trained in the skills of
accident or road safety engineering.
The road safety audit may investigate general safety conditions, or it may focus on specific
concerns or users. Walk ability audits concentrate on pedestrian safety and accommodation, and
transit audits focus on safety of bus and train users. The Department of Transportation (SPAD)
uses audit techniques to make simple but effective safety improvements in conjunction with road
resurfacing projects. This helps prevent increases in crashes that sometimes occur due to
increased driving speeds after road resurfacing.