Road Safety Audit: The New Book Exposing India’s Hidden Highway Safety Crisis

India is expanding its highway infrastructure at an unprecedented pace — yet the country continues to face some of the world’s highest rates of road accidents. Poor design choices, construction defects, missing safety features, and weak enforcement create a deadly mix.

To address this urgent national concern, road safety auditor Ramani Gopalan has released a critical book, “Road Safety Audit: Challenges in India.”

The book provides one of the most comprehensive and practical explorations of Road Safety Audits (RSAs) in the Indian context, making it an essential resource for engineers, policymakers, and infrastructure professionals.

“Road Safety Audits are not paperwork — they are life-saving evaluations. This book explains the real problems we see every day on Indian roads.”— Ramani Gopalan

A Much-Needed Guide for India’s Rapidly Growing Road Network

At a time when NHAI, MoRTH, and State PWDs have made Road Safety Audits mandatory for major projects, many professionals still lack exposure to real-world challenges. This book fills that gap by explaining:

• The complete Road Safety Audit process used in Indian projects

• Common safety issues found during planning, design, construction, and operation

• Black spot identification & crash pattern analysis

• Construction-stage defects that compromise long-term safety

• Typical mistakes in road design & DPR preparation

• Hill road, rural road, and expressway safety complexities

• Practical recommendations for safer and “forgiving” roads

• International RSA practices adapted to Indian conditions

With photographs, field examples, and insights from hundreds of audits, the book bridges the gap between technical guidelines and on-ground reality.

Bridging Theory and Field Reality Through Road Safety Audits

While India has multiple manuals for road design, very few resources show how safety failures occur in the field. Gopalan’s book focuses on the true purpose of Road Safety Audits — identifying risks before accidents happen.

Engineers reading the book will better understand issues such as:

• Incorrect curve design

• Missing guardrails and crash barriers

• Unsafe pedestrian crossings

• Blind spots at junctions

• Poorly planned overtaking zones

• Inadequate lighting and signage

• Dangerous work zones

These insights help professionals avoid repeated mistakes and build safer roads for millions.

“India needs safer and forgiving roads. This book aims to help engineers make better, safer decisions.”— Gopalan

Who Should Read “Road Safety Audit: Challenges in India”?

The book is an essential reference for:

• Highway Designers & Engineers

• Road Safety Auditors

• DPR Teams & Consultants

• EPC Contractors

• NHAI / MoRTH / PWD Officials

• Civil Engineering Students

• PMC and Concessionaire Teams

• Crash Investigation Units

Anyone involved in India’s infrastructure development will benefit from its practical wisdom.

About the Author

Ramani Gopalan is a leading road safety auditor with hands-on experience across national highways, expressways, and rural roads in India. He has worked extensively with engineering consultants, developers, and government bodies, contributing to:

• Safety audits

• DPR reviews

• Crash investigations

• Highway safety implementations

His mission is straightforward: to make India’s highway system safer, smarter, and more human-centred.

Available on Amazon: Road Safety Audit