Former Chief Scientist of Western Australia, Lyn Beazley, facilitated the forum on behalf of the Road Safety Commission to showcase the Road Safety Research Review Committee’s 2018-19 completed research program.
The forum focused on Safe Journeys with the spotlight on topics including:
- Driver distraction presentation by National Transport Commission;
- Safe crossings for older pedestrians and pedestrians with disabilities;
- A review of issues, initiatives and needs in Aboriginal road safety;
- Technologies for sensing bicycles and their application at metropolitan Perth intersections; and
- A review of popular WA motorcycle routes, crash risk factors and options to improve motorcycle safety.
“Research provides the evidence required to implement change to save lives on WA’s roads in line with the Safe System approach to road safety. It is the foundation on which the Western Australian Government builds its road safety policy,” said Acting Road Safety Commissioner Roger Farley.
“The research looks at what road safety issues impact individual roads, communities and regions.
“It dives into what affects the people who use the roads – drivers, passengers, riders, walkers, people with disabilities, those who have English as second language, the young and the elderly.
“If we harness the learnings, think about what we hear, and plan how we can use that knowledge in our work or community, we can make a difference.”
The University of Western Australia commenced a five-year road safety research contract at the end of December, establishing the Western Australian Centre for Road Safety Research to conduct reactive and proactive research that will be presented at future forums.
The Road Safety Research Program’s 2018/19 papers presented at the WA Road Safety Research Forum can be downloaded from our Road Safety Research page.
