Safe System Solutions recently celebrated a major milestone: our 1,500th Road Safety Audit! While each of these audits has been fascinating in its own way, this one stood out as particularly unique. Why? Because it involved assessing the safety impacts of projecting Australian Open tennis images onto Melbourne’s iconic Flinders Street Station.
Yes, you read that right. It’s not every day you’re tasked with ensuring that a larger-than-life Alex de Minaur or Aryna Sabalenka doesn’t inadvertently create road safety risks for Melbourne commuters. But that’s the beauty of the Road Safety Audit process – its incredible versatility.
Audits are always unique
Over the years, Safe System Solutions has conducted Road Safety Audits across Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Southeast Asia, and no two audits are the same. Each project comes with its own quirks, challenges, and insights, whether it’s auditing a bustling city intersection, a remote rural road, or, in this case, a high-profile urban art installation. It’s a testament to how adaptable the process is in identifying and addressing safety risks in a wide variety of contexts.
Why Are Road Safety Audits So Important?
At their core, Road Safety Audits are about saving lives and reducing injuries on our roads and streets. By proactively identifying potential safety risks in road designs, projects, or existing infrastructure [sometimes known by other terms in some countries], these audits ensure that safety is baked into the decision-making process from the start.
Here are a few reasons why they matter:
- Proactive Risk Management: Unlike crash investigations, which look at what went wrong after the fact, audits aim to prevent crashes or reduce the severity before the event. Think of it as catching issues upstream before they become costly (and potentially tragic) downstream problems.
- Adaptability: As demonstrated by our Flinders Street Station project, audits aren’t limited to traditional road infrastructure. They’re just as effective in evaluating less conventional projects, ensuring safety in all kinds of environments.
- Global Relevance: From urban centres in Australia to rural roads in Southeast Asia, the principles of Road Safety Audits apply universally. They can be tailored to local contexts while still adhering to global best practices.
A Milestone Worth Celebrating
Reaching 1,500 audits is a proud achievement, but it’s also a reminder of why we do what we do. Every audit, whether it involves tennis projections or tennis ball intersections (Google that one if you think we’re making it up), is an opportunity to make roads and streets safer for everyone. And while we’ve come a long way, we know there’s always more to learn and more lives to protect.
Here’s to the next 1,500 audits – and all the unique challenges they’ll bring!
Video credit: Kate Meade via Instagram