Identifying Critical Safety Issues on Two-Lane National Highways in India – A Case Study from NH 117 and NH 60

Abstract Safety performance of two-lane highways is a primary concern for developing countries such as India. So, a study on the identification of risk factors on such highways is of immense interest in mitigating road accidents. Although, there are several recognized practices for identifying road safety deficiencies, most of them depend on accident records. However, Road Safety Audit (RSA) is a cost-effective proactive tool to check that the roads have been designed and built to the highest safety standards for all types of road users. It is an efficient method for improving road safety, especially in countries like India, where there is a lack of adequate maintenance of accident database. The present study aims to identify the critical safety issues observed during RSA on the two major two-lane undivided highways in the state of West Bengal, India. Both the highway carries a considerable amount of traffic and passes through numerous built-up areas, markets and industrial belts. Several risk factors were identified at different hazardous locations along the highway stretches during the RSA. Lack of infrastructure, interaction of vulnerable road users (VRU) with high-speed traffic, and faulty geometric design are some of the most alarming safety deficiencies identified through the audit process. The insights obtained from the RSA report could not have been gained from the accident reports alone. Finally, countermeasures were suggested based on the observations made during the RSA.