Pakistan | 17 – 28 August 2026 – The International Road Federation (IRF) is delivering a ten-day Road Safety Auditors Training programme for officials from road agencies, in partnership with the World Bank Group, to support the development of future Road Safety Auditors and Road Safety Inspectors.

IRF Lead Trainer Eur Ing Miguel-Angel Serrano Santos is leading the programme, bringing more than two decades of international road safety experience across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Apart from his work with IRF, he also serves as Senior Road Safety Specialist at UNOPS, with previous experience overseeing Road Safety Audits and working on road safety programmes in countries including Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Road safety depends not only on safer infrastructure, but on having professionals with the knowledge and skills to identify risks, assess road environments and recommend effective interventions. Strengthening this expertise is therefore an important part of improving how road infrastructure is planned, designed and managed.

From knowledge to practical application

The 60-hour programme is designed to move beyond theoretical understanding. Participants are introduced to the technical and legal frameworks underpinning Road Safety Audits and Inspections, while also examining collision investigation, accident reconstruction, road design, roadside safety, tunnels, vehicle restraint systems and infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists.

The training also incorporates the Safe System and Vision Zero approaches, alongside International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) methodology, helping participants understand how these frameworks can be applied in audit and inspection practice.

Practical training is a central component. Participants assess rural roads, interchanges, urban roads, intersections and work zones, applying the principles covered during the programme to real road environments. The programme concludes with theoretical and practical examinations, requiring participants to demonstrate both knowledge and practical auditing competence.

Strengthening the next generation of road safety professionals

Participants are developing capabilities that can be applied within their respective road agencies to identify deficiencies, understand the factors contributing to severe and fatal injuries and use available data to inform recommendations for remedial measures.

Those who successfully pass both examinations receive a Certificate of Competence and are entered into the IRF International Road Safety Auditors Registry at Observer level.

This creates a direct link between professional development and stronger road safety practice: building the capacity of officials who can apply structured safety assessment to road projects and existing infrastructure, supporting better-informed decisions about where and how safety improvements are needed.