ENHANCING THE ROAD SAFETY INSPECTION PROCESS THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SOFTWARE SOLUTION

Abstract

This paper examines the process of conducting road safety inspections, focusing on the technical and organisational shortcomings that appear during field investigations, office-based data processing, georeferencing, documenting observed infrastructure deficiencies, and preparing the final report. Based on an examination of the existing common workflow and the limitations of the most commonly used software tools, it was discovered that, in practice, the procedure relies on the fragmented use of multiple solutions that were not specifically designed for the needs of road safety inspections, complicating the process and slowing down data analysis and report preparation. Based on the identified technical requirements, a specialised software solution was developed that integrates video playback, GPS and cartographic data processing, station analysis, documenting deficiencies, the use of checklists, and the preparation of outputs for final report. Validation of the developed tool was accomplished through preliminary beta testing of the application in office-based information processing, with the goal of determining its practical usability and contribution to more efficient recording and systematisation of findings. Initial results show that this approach improves the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of road safety inspections, particularly under resource-constrained conditions such as those faced by local governments and LMICs.