Crash Investigation

In cooperation with local governments, we conduct crash location investigations after the occurrence of a fatal crash.

The primary focus of crash investigations is to identify road environment factors which may possibly be related to the cause of a crash or may have increased the severity of a crash.

Crash investigations are undertaken using a two stage process;

Preliminary Crash Investigations which should occur within 7 working days of the crash; and
Detailed Crash Investigations which are completed only if a road environment factor possibly related to the cause or severity of a crash is identified in the preliminary crash investigation.

Our Intersection Crash Ranking - Interactive Report allows you to produce reports on statistics throughout WA.

Visit Interactive Report

Treatment of Crash Locations course

This course is a vital training resource for programs such as the Federal and State funded Black Spot programs in Western Australia.

Visit Road Safety Audit Portal

Conducting crash location investigations

Crash investigations are complementary to Road Safety Audits in the identification of road environment factors as a contribution to the causation and/or severity of crashes on the public road network in Western Australia.

Unlike Road Safety Audits, crash investigations are a reactive process triggered by an incident. The combination of Road Safety Audits and Crash Location Reports provide Asset Managers with powerful mechanisms to identify weak links in the road network and to reduce the risk of trauma and crashes on the road network.

The objective of the crash investigation is to identify any road environment safety issues that could represent unnecessary and/or unreasonable hazards to road users. The investigation incorporates analysis of the road crashes recorded at the location to determine crash rates, trends and crash types. The report analyses crash types at a location against the network average and recommends remedial measures to reduce the recurrence or severity of the predominant crash types.

The objectives of a Crash Location Report are to:

Review the existing road against current standards and recommend remedial action to reduce the probability of an incident occurring and the potential severity to an acceptable level of risk;
Report on the conclusions drawn and make recommendations to minimise or eliminate hazards;
Analyse the characteristics of recorded road crashes at the location;
Establish common factors for crash groupings;
Analyse and determine the trends (if any) in the crash pattern and the possible cause;
Determine whether the road crash that resulted in fatal injury was a predominant crash type; and
Evaluate the site in terms of interaction of the road user with the surroundings to identify potential impediments and conflicts.

To ensure that the maximum emphasis is placed on engineering and safe system treatments, every investigation team must be led by a suitably qualified and experienced Crash Investigator in accordance with the requirements of our policy.

Our Policy

Policy and Guidelines for Crash Investigations

Crash Map

Crash Map is a relational GIS crash mapping application that enables users to perform both macro and micro analysis of reported road crashes. Crash Map also provides a fully integrated platform for the creation and management of applications for the State and Federal Black Spot programs in Western Australia. The crash data is available to State and Local Government road agencies and also to consultants engaged to complete work on behalf of these agencies.

Applying for access to Crash Map

In order to gain access to Crash Map, you are required to complete the following steps:

Create an account with Main Roads.
Validate your account by clicking on the link in an email that will be sent you (if not received in your inbox, check your Junk or Spam folder).
Complete the below application form.

Crash Map application form

Have you created a Main Roads account?

Yes

Before completing this application, you need to create an account.

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Applicant's Manager Details

Your manager’s contact details are required in order to make contact in the event we are unable to contact you directly.

Applicant's Declaration

Main Roads Western Australia (“the Licensor”) agrees to provide access to Main Roads Crash Analysis applications for the purposes and conditions set out in this agreement:

Rights of Ownership

Through this agreement, the Applicant only acquires the right to use the specified information and does not acquire any rights of ownership to the information; all intellectual property rights in the data will remain vested in the Licensor.
This agreement does not entitle the applicant to permit any other third party to use Main Roads Crash Analysis applications nor provide information or part thereof for their use without prior notification and written consent from the Licensor.
The Applicant shall ensure that all products developed from incorporating the supplied information or part thereof bears an acceptable acknowledgement that the Licensor is the source of the information.

Indemnity

The Applicant releases the Licensor, its officers and employees in respect for all claims and liability for loss or damage which may be connected to or arise from the performance or use of the information or part thereof produced from the supplied information.

No Warranties

The information is supplied in good faith and is derived from sources deemed to be reliable and accurate. However, the Licensor cannot guarantee the reliability and accuracy of the information provided and expressly disclaims its liability and that of its employees and agents for any act or omission done in reliance on any products derived from the data for external release.

Confidentiality

The Applicant must not release or provide any information that might enable the identification of a person or persons.
The Applicant must preserve the confidential nature of the information they are being granted access to and shall not use it for any purpose other than the approved purpose.

I confirm that I have read and agree to abide by the conditions outlined on this application.

Crash Map tutorials

Road View

Road View is a relational video application that allows users to upload and view georeferenced video files captured using a GPS enabled dashcam. Road View then geospatially relates the video captured with crash data and asset information, enabling relational analysis of the road environment to assist in the process of conducting road safety route assessments and asset management. Road View is available to State and Local Government road agencies and also to consultants engaged to complete work on behalf of these agencies.

Apply for access to Road View

Road View application form

What would you like to do?

Update details as an existing user

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Last name

Email address

Phone number

Company / Agency

Position title

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Applicant's Manager Details

Your manager’s contact details are required in order to make contact in the event we are unable to contact you directly.

Full name

Email address

Phone number

Position title

Date

Applicant's Declaration

Main Roads Western Australia (“the Licensor”) agrees to provide access to Main Roads Crash Analysis applications for the purposes and conditions set out in this agreement:

Rights of Ownership

Through this agreement, the Applicant only acquires the right to use the specified information and does not acquire any rights of ownership to the information; all intellectual property rights in the data will remain vested in the Licensor.
This agreement does not entitle the applicant to permit any other third party to use Main Roads Crash Analysis applications nor provide information or part thereof for their use without prior notification and written consent from the Licensor.
The Applicant shall ensure that all products developed from incorporating the supplied information or part thereof bears an acceptable acknowledgement that the Licensor is the source of the information.

Indemnity

The Applicant releases the Licensor, its officers and employees in respect for all claims and liability for loss or damage which may be connected to or arise from the performance or use of the information or part thereof produced from the supplied information.

No Warranties

The information is supplied in good faith and is derived from sources deemed to be reliable and accurate. However, the Licensor cannot guarantee the reliability and accuracy of the information provided and expressly disclaims its liability and that of its employees and agents for any act or omission done in reliance on any products derived from the data for external release.

Confidentiality

The Applicant must not release or provide any information that might enable the identification of a person or persons.
The Applicant must preserve the confidential nature of the information they are being granted access to and shall not use it for any purpose other than the approved purpose.

I confirm that I have read and agree to abide by the conditions outlined on this application.

Full Name

Date

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Road Safety Management Plans for Local Government

Austroads Local Government Road Safety Management Guidance sets out a road safety management planning framework and action plan that gives effect to higher-order documents, including the National and State Road Safety Strategies to assist local governments tackle the key road safety issues in their local area.

Road Safety Management Plans also help local governments to understand their road safety risks at a local level, identify key areas of focus, develop an action plan and monitor safety outcomes in relation to the State Road Safety Strategy targets. The plans can also support resource planning and can be used as a method of communicating to local government customers and other stakeholders about road safety at a local level.

We have developed a Road Safety Management Plan template and supporting tools and resources to assist local governments to develop and operate their own plan. We're also able to provide ongoing support and guidance to local governments about the road safety management planning process and the tools and resources that support the process.

Road Safety Management Plan Template

Road Safety Management Planning Process Guide

For assistance, please contact the Road Safety team at enquiries@mainroads.wa.gov.au.

Road Safety Assessments of High Risk Routes and Intersections

Main Roads has developed a strategic approach for conducting road safety assessments on high risk routes and intersections. This is a vital process for identifying road environmental factors that may have contributed to the causation or severity of crashes along routes and at intersections. The assessment process places emphasis on killed or serious injury (KSI) crash risk and incorporates Safe System principles embedded within the process. This is to be achieved by focusing the assessment process on considering safe speeds and by providing forgiving roads and roadsides and delivered through a road safety assessment process that accepts people can make mistakes and by considering the known limits to crash forces the human body can tolerate with the aim to reduce the risk of fatal and serious injury crashes.

Conducting Assessments

Road safety assessments of high risk routes and intersections are complementary to road safety audits and crash investigations for the consideration of road environment factors associated with crash risk at high risk locations throughout the State road network.

The aim of the annual programme of road safety assessment on high risk routes and intersections is to take an overarching holistic approach to the assessment of high risk locations ‘State wide’ in coordination with regions throughout the State. This will result in a State wide prioritised evidence led and targeted approach to the assessment and treatment of regional high risk locations throughout the State.

The objectives of the road safety assessments programme are to:

annually determine a list of high risk regional locations to investigate;
investigate the crash history at high risk locations;
conduct detailed analysis of all crashes with a focus on KSI crash risk to determine trends or crash patterns (if any) and possible cause;
inspect the road environment at high risk locations to determine if there are any road environment factors that may have contributed to crash risk, crash causation and/or severity;
inspect the road environment and other available supporting information to identify any hazards or substandard road elements that pose a potential KSI crash risk;
provide recommendations about potential effective targeted treatment options to mitigate crash patterns, crash risks and hazards identified at high risk locations;
estimate the economic benefits of recommended treatment options;
provide advice about potential funding sources available for recommended treatment options; and
monitor the effectiveness of delivered projects that result from high risk assessments.

Main Roads has developed a policy and guideline to set out the requirements for conducting assessments of high risk routes and intersections on the State road network.

Policy and Guidelines for Road Safety Assessments of High Risk Routes and Intersections

Page last reviewed: 17 April 2024 | Last updated: 17 April 2024

Crash Investigation

Treatment of Crash Locations course

Our Policy

Crash Map

Crash Map application form

Applicant's Manager Details

Applicant's Declaration

Road View

Road View application form

Applicant's Manager Details

Applicant's Declaration

Road Safety Management Plans for Local Government

Road Safety Assessments of High Risk Routes and Intersections

Acknowledgement of country

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Crash Investigation

Treatment of Crash Locations course

Crash Map

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Road View

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Road Safety Management Plans for Local Government

Road Safety Assessments of High Risk Routes and Intersections

Acknowledgement of country

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