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RAP-RM-3-1 Risk Mapping Design Specification
RAP-RM-3-1 Risk Mapping Design Specification
RAP-RM-3-1 Risk Mapping Design Specification
Specification
May 2013
Amended October 2017
Updated January 2020
RAP-RRM-3.1
RAP-RRM-3.1 RAP Crash Risk Mapping Design Specification
About EuroRAP
The European Road Assessment Programme (EuroRAP) is an international not-for-profit organisation
dedicated to saving lives through safer roads.
It aims to:
• Reduce death and serious injury on Europe’s roads through a systematic programme of risk
assessment, identifying major safety shortcomings that can be addressed by practical road
improvement measures;
• Ensure risk assessment lies at the heart of strategic decisions on route improvements, crash
protection and standards of route management; and
• Forge partnerships between those responsible for a safe road system – motoring organisations,
vehicle manufacturers and road authorities.
The work of EuroRAP is supported by the FIA Foundation for the Automobile and Society, iRAP, the motor
industry, leading governments and the European Commission. Its Members are automobile and touring clubs,
national and regional road authorities and researchers.
National governments, automobile clubs and associations, charities, the motor industry and institutions also
support specific EuroRAP projects and encourage the transfer of research and technology. In addition, many
individuals donate their time and expertise to support the organisation.
EuroRAP has received two Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards. The first
in 2004 for founding the European programme, and the second in 2009 at the first
inter-Ministerial conference on road safety in Moscow, for founding the global
International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP).
© European Road Assessment Programme (EuroRAP) 2013. EuroRAP technology including protocols, processes and
brands may not be altered or used in any way without the express written agreement of EuroRAP.
EuroRAP has licence to use the following as trademarks for exclusive use in Europe: The EuroRAP logo figurative and
word mark, ‘RAP Road Risk Mapping’, ‘RAP Road Assessment Programme’, and ‘RAP Road Risk Rating’.
The EuroRAP Crash Risk Mapping protocol is licensed free of charge to RAP Members who undertake to maintain the
quality standards.
EuroRAP is an international not-for-profit organisation registered in Brussels (no. 50962003, company no. 0479824257).
Registered Office: Rue de la Science 41, 1040 Brussels, Belgium.
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RAP-RRM-3.1 RAP Crash Risk Mapping Design Specification
Version control
Date Name of Version Author Position Summary
document
10/01/ RAP-RRM-3.1 6a Brian EuroRAP Change from RAP Road Risk Mapping to
2020 RAP Crash Risk Lawton RAP Crash Risk Mapping reflected
Mapping Design throughout, along with some formatting
Specification updates
17/11/ RAP-RRM-3.1 6 Steve EuroRAP Name of document in version control list and
2017 RAP Risk Lawson contact points amended
Mapping Design
Specification
15/05/ EuroRAP202: 5 Dr Joanne EuroRAP Document renamed and split into design
2013 Risk Mapping Marden specification RAP-RRM-3.1 and technical
Manual specification RAP-RRM-2.1.
29/09/ EuroRAP202: 4 Dr Joanne EuroRAP Comprehensive update including addition of
2010 Risk Mapping Hill sections on process, data handling, creating
Manual a EuroRAP network, assigning crash and
traffic flows, metadata guidelines,
cartographic specifications, interpreting
results, and RRM vs Star Rating
14/09/ Technical 3 Dr Joanne EuroRAP Updated with sections on the context and
2009 Specification for Hill background of Risk Mapping and
Creating EuroRAP cartographic specification for the production
Risk Rate Maps of standardised EuroRAP Risk Maps
17/11/ Technical 2 Dr Joanne EuroRAP Updated with section on adjustment factors
2005 Specification for Hill for under-reporting
Creating EuroRAP
Risk Rate Maps
15/09/ Technical 1 Dr Joanne EuroRAP Document created
2004 Specification for Hill
Creating EuroRAP
Risk Rate Maps
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RAP-RRM-3.1 RAP Crash Risk Mapping Design Specification
Contents
1. Scope of the document ..........................................................................................................................5
2. Structure of the document ....................................................................................................................5
3. Colour-coded risk bandings ..................................................................................................................6
4. Cartographic specifications ..................................................................................................................7
4.1. Colour specifications ......................................................................................................................7
4.1.1. RGB colour palette ..................................................................................................................7
4.1.2. CMYK colour palette ...............................................................................................................7
4.1.3. Pantone spot colour (solid coated) palette ..........................................................................7
4.1.4. Web (html) colour palette .......................................................................................................7
4.1.5. Colour vision deficiency specifications ...............................................................................8
4.2. Standardised RAP Crash Risk Mapping elements ...................................................................8
4.3. Standardised RAP Crash Risk Mapping non-cartographic content .....................................14
5. Contacts and support ..........................................................................................................................16
List of Figures
Figure 1. Alternative Crash Risk Mapping colours for colour vision deficiency ............................................. 8
Figure 2. Crash Risk Mapping a dense road network ................................................................................... 9
Figure 3. Crash Risk Mapping a sparse road network .................................................................................. 9
Figure 4. Design and layout of a standardised EuroRAP Crash Risk Map .................................................11
List of Tables
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RAP-RRM-3.1 RAP Crash Risk Mapping Design Specification
• RAP-RRM-2.1: RAP Crash Risk Mapping: Technical Specification: detailing technical specifications
required to create internationally consistent RAP Crash Risk Mapping. The document details the
principles of the Crash Risk Mapping protocol, how networks are constructed and the rationale for the
selection of road sections and their related parameters in building a data set.
• RAP-PT-2.1: RAP Performance Tracking Manual: detailing the technical specification for comparing the
performance of networks or individual road sections, using consecutive Risk Maps.
Section 4: Cartographic specifications describes the presentation of Crash Risk Mapping to an internationally
consistent format. The colour banding palette (including that to be used for those with colour vision deficiency),
and a style template for map and non-map elements are included.
Section 5: Contacts and support gives the details of EuroRAP core team members who can be contacted for
help and advice.
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RAP-RRM-3.1 RAP Crash Risk Mapping Design Specification
The standard RAP Crash Risk Mapping colour palette is based on five colour
bands signifying low to high risk. See Section 4.1 for the colour specifications
in RGB, CMYK, Pantone and html formats.
The colour palette has been designed to meet the following criteria, it:
• is based on the significance of particular colours (such as black and red to signify danger) in different
countries and is therefore meaningful to a wide audience
• ensures that the information is clear and distinguishable when presented in a variety of media (online,
print, high resolution, low resolution)
RAP Crash Risk Mapping is based on the distribution of risk across a road network. The weighting given to
each of the five bandings, i.e. the proportion of road sections falling into each of the categories, were chosen
to ensure that a substantial number of road sections on a varied network in high performing countries, fell into
each banding, whilst highlighting the small but significant number of sections with very high risk.
RAP Crash Risk Mapping gives various insights to risk for different audiences. For road-users it is important
that the output demonstrates how risk can change across a network, leading to a better understanding and
awareness of why some roads are safer than others. For road providers, the output, when used alongside
existing approaches, can help in setting realistic targets for improvements.
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RAP-RRM-3.1 RAP Crash Risk Mapping Design Specification
4. Cartographic specifications
The following section describes the design and cartographic components of RAP Crash Risk Mapping that are
used to present results to internationally consistent standards.
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RAP-RRM-3.1 RAP Crash Risk Mapping Design Specification
Given that the aim of RAP Crash Risk Mapping is to raise awareness and understanding of road safety risk
using a colour coded system, it is imperative that the varying level of risk is distinguishable. Greater clarity can
be achieved by choosing unambiguous colour combinations, annotating features, adding textural components
or altering the colours used. While the first two of these are more difficult to achieve in Crash Risk Mapping
without adding ‘noise’ to the output, RAP Crash Risk Mapping in Great Britain has trialled varying colour
schemes to address the issue.
N.B. The following specifications are included as guidelines only. Exact specifications will vary
according to the size of the output and the density of the road network assessed. For example, while
elements such as the colour of the sea and land will not be affected by output size, the optimum width
of roads and the associated road numbers and road type casings will depend on the density of the
network being assessed.
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RAP-RRM-3.1 RAP Crash Risk Mapping Design Specification
Road widths may need to be increased on large output sizes, such as posters, to ensure that the risk banding
colours of individual sections, and the distribution of risk across the network, can be easily seen. On smaller
size outputs, such as in printed reports, road widths may need to be decreased to ensure that they can be
easily distinguished.
Producing standard RAP Crash Risk Mapping is therefore an iterative process. The aim is to achieve
international consistency within the recognised RAP brand while at the same time producing output
that is fit for purpose. It is recommended that all mapping is printed and reviewed at the intended
output size, and amendments made as necessary, prior to final publication.
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RAP-RRM-3.1 RAP Crash Risk Mapping Design Specification
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RAP-RRM-3.1 RAP Crash Risk Mapping Design Specification
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RAP-RRM-3.1 RAP Crash Risk Mapping Design Specification
Lakes should not be included where they detract from the risk rating
of individual road sections.
Coastline Key line only, 80c 0m 0y 0k, 0.15mm line weight as per lake outline.
International Line weight 0.8mm, dashed - 1.75mm dash 0.5mm gap, coloured 0c
boundary 0m 0y 50k.
In fill with EuroRAP colour palette (see Section 4.1), line weight 0.3
mm.
Roads with no applicable risk data will have a grey fill, 0c 0m 0y 30k,
line weight 0.3mm.
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RAP-RRM-3.1 RAP Crash Risk Mapping Design Specification
City, town & Capital or major city/town - Arial Bold 6pt CAPS, 0c 0m 0y 80k.
island
names Minor city/town - Arial Bold 5.5pt, 0c 0m 0y 80k.
Town text has a white halo 0.15mm oversize to the text characters.
High Risk road number - Arial Bold 4pt CAPS, 0c 0m 0y 100k. The
numbers are curved and offset following the road alignment. This
road text is larger to emphasise the high risk value.
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RAP-RRM-3.1 RAP Crash Risk Mapping Design Specification
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RAP-RRM-3.1 RAP Crash Risk Mapping Design Specification
Copyright As detailed in Section 7 of RAP-RRM- © ABC club. The ABC club is indebted to the
notice 2.1: RAP Crash Risk Mapping: Department for Transport, for allowing use of
data in creating the map. Crash and traffic data is
Technical Specification, metadata for 2006-2008, the most recent available when
elements, pertaining to the source, the map was prepared. The roads shown are
nature and quality of the data should be based on the 2008 network but the map excludes
included as standard on RAP Crash the centres of major cities. No results are
presented for roads shown in grey - these are
Risk Mapping. either motorway spurs, connecting sections off
the major route network, are short links, or roads
This most commonly can take the form that opened part way through the data period.
Risk rates on road sections vary but it is expected
of a footnote.
that, on average, those off the main road network
will have higher rates than sections on it.
Generally motorways and high quality 2-lane
carriageways function in a similar way and are
safer than 1-lane or mixed carriageways.
Exclusion of Some countries choose to include an The information in this map is not intended to be
liability exclusion of liability notice. For example: relied upon as advice, and in particular the Authors
and Publishers accept no responsibility for loss or
injury suffered by any person as a consequence
direct or indirect of anything contained.
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RAP-RRM-3.1 RAP Crash Risk Mapping Design Specification
Brian Lawton
Programme and Research Manager
Road Safety Foundation
on behalf of EuroRAP
brian.lawton@roadsafetyfoundation.org
+44 (0) 1256 345598
EuroRAP AISBL
Worting House
Basingstoke
Hampshire
RG23 8PX
UK
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RAP Crash Risk Mapping: Design
Specification
Crash Risk Maps are a pillar of Road Assessment Programmes (RAP). These are colour-
coded maps showing safety ratings of death and serious injury on individual road sections
across a network. Statistically designed to support national road safety strategies, they add
an extra layer of information alongside existing approaches by enabling the tracking of
performance over time and benchmarking with other countries and neighbouring authorities.
For individual road-users they show which roads are safer than others, where they need to
be especially alert and, as citizens, press for upgrading of safety. For road providers they
reflect more broadly how risk is distributed across a network and can help to form the basis
of investment decisions.
RAP-RRM-3.1 sets out the design and cartographic specification for the production of RAP
Crash Risk Mapping to a standardised format.
EuroRAP is an international not-for-profit organisation registered in Brussels (no. 50962003, company no.
0479824257). Registered Office: Rue de la Science 41, 1040 Brussels, Belgium.
icanhelp@eurorap.org
+44 (0) 1256 345598
EuroRAP AISBL
Worting House
Basingstoke
Hampshire
RG23 8PX
UK