Development of road safety management framework for the national road network

Abstract

Road safety is a fundamental aspect of sustainable transportation systems, playing a vital role in protecting human lives, ensuring public well-being, and supporting socioeconomic development. However, many countries face persistent challenges in managing road safety at the national level due to insufficiently structured frameworks, inadequate data utilization, and limited analytical tools for identifying and addressing high-risk road segments. These limitations hinder the ability of road authorities to identify methodologies for effectively identifying critical safety issues, prioritizing high-risk road sections, and implementing targeted interventions within constrained budgets. To address these limitations, it is essential to adopt evidence-based approaches that enable the prioritization of road safety projects while considering financial and operational constraints. Furthermore, identifying long-term funding needs for high-priority safety improvements is crucial for sustaining progress. To achieve substantial progress in reducing road crashes and enhancing overall safety, it is imperative to adopt a structured road safety management framework that integrates systematic assessment procedures, clear operational roles, and accountability at all levels. The framework begins by identifying the key objectives of the national road safety strategy and developing criteria for road segmentation using fixed or variable lengths based on the available crash data. Then the road segments are initially screened and classified as high-risk road segments through the combined application of comprehensive crash data analysis and appropriate black spot identification method. This study proposes a comprehensive approach that includes three key road safety assessments: roadway environment assessment (which categorizes the roadside land use context as urban, suburban, or rural), road infrastructure safety assessment (which evaluates safety issues arising from roadway deficiencies), and crash risk assessment (based on historical crash data). The high-risk road segments identified during the initial screening are further evaluated through these three safety risk assessments. The level of service of each road section (road safety performance) is then evaluated based on the outcomes of each risk assessment, through the development of performance matrices. Finally, a macro-level decision-making matrix and appropriate risk rating method are developed to determine the overall safety performance of the relevant sections. According to the safety management strategy, relevant road agencies and authorities will decide on the safe treatment strategies and the location of safety priorities they can adopt based on their budgetary restrictions.