Which of the following are field activities that can be used to diagnose safety issues on a section of roadway?

• A. Traffic Signal Timing Optimization
• B. Roadway Safety Audit and Traffic Conflict Study
• C. Pavement Condition Index Survey
• D. Public Perception Survey

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is using on-site, observed evidence to identify safety problems on a roadway segment. A roadway safety audit brings together a team to review a site in the field, looking for actual safety deficiencies in geometry, signage, lighting, sight distance, and traffic interactions. It documents issues directly from the field and suggests practical improvements. A traffic conflict study goes further by systematically observing how road users interact, recording conflicts and near-misses, speeds, gaps, and turning movements, and then analyzing these observations to quantify safety risk on that section. Together, these field activities generate real, actionable safety information tied to the roadway as it exists in the real world.

Why the other options don’t fit as field diagnostics of safety issues: adjusting traffic signal timing is an operational optimization activity aimed at improving flow, which can influence safety but isn’t itself a diagnostic method for identifying safety problems on a specific roadway section. Assessing pavement condition focuses on surface quality and structural issues, not the behavior and interactions that drive safety concerns. A public perception survey gathers opinions about safety but does not provide on-site evidence of hazards or actual conflict data.

So, the field activities best suited for diagnosing safety issues on a roadway segment are the roadway safety audit and traffic conflict study.