Local authorities’ duties in respect of road safety were first set out in the Road Traffic Act 1974, Section 8 and consolidated in the Road Traffic Act 1988, Section 39 This calls for:
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accident studies to be carried out
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measures to be taken in response to the results of such studies
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accident information to be disseminated and new roads to be built to standards that will minimise the chances of an accident occurring.
At Scottish local government re-organisation in 1996, Councils established a joint unit dedicated to the engineering aspects of road accident reduction and prevention. The unit is known as Central Scotland Roads Accident Investigation Unit (CSRAIU), and is based in Stirling. It works closely with the roads and transport planning staff of all three Councils and with Central Scotland Police.
Activities
The unit's activities include:
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maintenance of accident databases
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identification of accident sites, routes, areas and mass action plans
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accident site, route, area and mass action plan studies
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road safety audit
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liaison with partner bodies such as
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Central Scotland Police
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NHS Forth Valley
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Roads, Education and Planning departments
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UK Department for Transport
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Scottish Executive
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Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
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Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS)
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Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)
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Scottish Accident Prevention Council
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Network Rail
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interested consultants, solicitors, researchers, manufacturers, etc.
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provision of ad hoc data, advice and reports on road safety matters
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preparation of road safety plans
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maintenance of the relevant library.
Related groups
The Unit Manager is a member of:
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SCOTS Road Safety and Traffic Management Working Group
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Scottish Executive / SCOTS Accident Investigation and Prevention Working Group
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Road Safety Scotland Forum
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Scottish Liaison Group on Accident Statistics
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UK Standing Committee on Road Accident Statistics.
Objectives
The Unit's objectives are to fulfil the three Councils’ legal obligations, particularly in respect of road safety engineering.