Annual Report 2005 - Monash University · 2015-05-20 · Mr. David Healy General Manager, Road Safety, Transport Accident Commission Mr. Eric Howard General Manager, Road Safety,

Annual Report2005

VisionA World Leader in the Field of Injury Prevention

MissionThrough high-standard research

and independent recommendations,to challenge and support citizens,

governments and industriesto eliminate serious health losses due to injury.

Guiding ValuesAs we pursue our goals and strategies, we will be guided by the following values. These values arecentral to the MUARC ethos:

Outstanding in research

... we will continue to:

• Advance knowledge in the field of injury prevention

• Generate research of the highest quality and integrity

• Embrace a multi disciplinary approach to complex problems

• Collaborate with colleagues and faculties throughout Monash University and beyond

Developing people ... Developing the field

... we are committed to:

• Offering opportunity for advancement, growth and challenge to all staff

• Nurturing the next generation of Australian researchers and policy makers

• Guiding and supporting the growth of injury prevention capabilities in existing and emerginginjury crisis areas of the developing world

• Making leading contributions to national and international research efforts

Preventing injuries ... Saving lives

... these are our defining values and we will:

• Focus on and engage with major injury issues, both current and emerging

• Provide evidence-based advice independent of current orthodoxy and vested interests

• See that research informs policy and translates into safer practice

• Ensure that our collective effort results in fewer fatalities, and a reduction in both the number andthe severity of injuries

Cover photo - Dr. Melanie Franklyn using crash modelling softwareInside cover - Kristie Young and Dr. Michael Regan with the driving simulator(Cover photos by On Location Photography)

2Annual Report 2005

Contents

Chair’s Foreword ................................................................................................................. 3

Board of Management ........................................................................................................ 4

Director’s Report ................................................................................................................. 5

Our Staff, Our Experts ......................................................................................................... 6

The Centre in Profile ......................................................................................................... 14

Highlights of an Active Year ............................................................................................... 15

External Recognition ......................................................................................................... 17

An Independent Voice ....................................................................................................... 20

Government and Industry Engagement ............................................................................ 23

An International Research Centre ..................................................................................... 30

Visitors .............................................................................................................................. 34

In the Public Eye ............................................................................................................... 36

Research Training and Academic Program....................................................................... 38

Foundation ........................................................................................................................ 48

Statement of Income and Expenditure .............................................................................. 50

Appendix AProject Steering and Project Advisory External Committee Members .......................... 51

Appendix BPublications and Presentations .................................................................................... 54

Appendix CStaff Membership of Boards and Committees .............................................................. 64

3 Accident Research Centre

Chair’s Foreword

To: Vice-Chancellor and President:Monash UniversityProfessor Richard Larkins

One of MUARC’s greatest strengths is its ability toengage with policy makers and programadministrators, whether in government or industry.This engagement not only ensures ongoing relevancefor the research we undertake but also provides aneffective path for the results to be implementedthrough new policies and practice. As reflected in ourstrategic plan our mission is to “challenge and supportcitizens, governments and industries to eliminateserious health losses due to injury”. It is a delight towork with a research institute that lives and breathesits mission.

In 2005, we completed the first substantial review ofMUARC’s strategic directions since 1997. I thank allour stakeholders, and all our staff, for theirconstructive input. We now have a very clear senseof where we need to go to ensure we continue toachieve our mission in an increasingly difficultenvironment for research funding.

As with all new strategic plans, some changes totraditional arrangements are necessary. MUARC’sBoard of Management had grown steadily over theyears as more Victorian Government agenciesbecame stakeholders. So too the primary role of theBoard changed from a mechanism to assist theUniversity with governance matters to an advisorycommittee representative of (primarily) Victorian

Government stakeholders. The strategic planproposes the separation of these roles. A smallmanagement board will be created early in 2006 tofocus on governance, strategic direction and long-term financial sustainability. The current board –augmented as necessary - will be re-structured toform a stakeholder advisory committee to focus on thevital role of facilitating the engagement of MUARCstaff with Victorian agencies.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the manysenior staff from a wide range of Victorian governmentagencies – and from the RACV – for their magnificentsupport over many years on MUARC’s Board ofManagement and as Trustees of the AccidentResearch Foundation. Their support has been vital inassisting MUARC to its current position of prominencein the field of injury prevention research and especiallyin our reputation for social impact. We at Monash alllook forward to their continued assistance in buildingan even stronger MUARC through their focused roleof bridging research to policy and practice.

Finally, I congratulate the staff of MUARC for anotherproductive and successful year.

Edwina CornishChair

We are grateful for the support of Board members(shown with senior staff)

4Annual Report 2005

Board of Management

As at December 2005, the Board comprised the following members:

Professor Edwina Cornish Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)Chair Monash University

Ms. Penny Armytage Secretary, Department of Justice (represented by Mr. William McKendry)

Dr. Roger Banks VicRoads

Professor Stephen Cordner Director, Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine,Deputy Chair Monash University

Ms. Patricia Faulkner Secretary, Department of Human Services, Victoria(represented by Ms. Karen McIntyre)

Mr. Stephen Grant Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Transport AccidentCommission

Mr. Robert Hastings Assistant Commissioner,Traffic & Transport Services Department, Victoria Police

Mr. David Healy General Manager, Road Safety, Transport Accident Commission

Mr. Eric Howard General Manager, Road Safety, VicRoads

Professor Ian Johnston Director, MUARC

Dr. Rob Moodie Chief Executive Officer, VicHealth(represented by Dr. Michelle Callander)

Dr. Ken Ogden General Manager Policy,Royal Automobile Club of Victoria Ltd

Professor John Sheridan Head, Department of Mechanical Engineering,Monash University

Ms. Robin Trotter Executive Officer, WorkSafe VictoriaVictorian WorkCover Authority

Ms. Nicole Paramanis Executive Officer to the Board, MUARC

Roger Banks

Michelle Callander Stephen Cordner

Robert HastingsEdwina Cornish Stephen Grant David Healy Eric Howard

Bill McKendry Karen McIntyre Ken Ogden John Sheridan Robin Trotter Nicole ParamanisExecutive Officer

Ian Johnston


Director’s Report

Professor Ian Johnston

The staff at MUARC continued to perform superblyduring 2005.

Several achievements underscore the depth of ournational and international reputation. The WorldHealth Organization (WHO) appointed MUARC as acollaborating centre for Violence, Injuries andDisabilities for the western Pacific region. ProfessorJoan Ozanne-Smith leads the collaborating centre’sactivities within MUARC. Professor Brian Fildes waselected a Fellow of the US-based internationalAssociation for the Advancement of AutomotiveMedicine. He is also on the Board of AAAM and hassucceeded in attracting the 2007 internationalconference to Australia for the first time. Several staffreceived best paper awards at major conferences inthe field, including Nimmi Candappa (and her co-authors), Dr. Mike Regan (and his co-authors) andSimon Hosking (and his co-authors). Dr. MaxCameron was invited to spend a month with theFrench government’s transport research institute toassist them with countermeasure evaluation methodsdevelopment.

MUARC was also successful in achieving new grantsfor large research projects. Monash University was apartner in the successful bid for a Co-operativeResearch Centre (CRC) in automotive technology.One of the five research themes of the CRC is safetyand MUARC will undertake the majority of the safetyresearch for the CRC over the next seven years(Brian Fildes, Mike Regan). We also achievedsubstantial ARC-linkage grants to study the role of

visual impairments in driving performance (Dr. JudeCharlton) and (separately) injuries associated with theuse of glass in commercial buildings (Joan Ozanne-Smith). We also won a large NHMRC project grant tostudy the impact of exercise in delaying disability andpreventing falls among older people (Lesley Day).

Equally importantly, our emphasis on translatingresearch results into the policy and practice processcontinued apace. Staff made invited submissions toparliamentary and other public enquiries in areas asdiverse as farm injury, driver distraction, productsafety and pedestrian safety. Staff also took part incapacity building and knowledge transfer in China,Mongolia, Vietnam and New Zealand.

The year in review marked the completion of one ofour longest-running and most substantial projects –the TAC SafeCar project. After almost six years ofwork we have vital insights into the effects of somesafety technologies on driving performance underreal-world driving conditions.

It is an honour to lead such a committed group offirst-class scientists who are as passionate aboutensuring that their research is understood andapplied as they are in the quality of the research itself.

Late in the year we farewelled one of our longest-serving scientists. Dr. Narelle Haworth, a foundingmember of MUARC’s research staff, accepted theChair in Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation at theQueensland University of Technology. Narelle’s workis a great legacy; fortunately neither she nor it are lostto the field.

Dr. Narelle Haworth

6Annual Report 2005

DirectorProfessor Ian JohnstonPhD, BA(Hons), FTSE

Professor Johnston became Directorof the Monash University AccidentResearch Centre in May 2001.Throughout the 1990s he was

Managing Director of ARRB Transport Research.Before that he was Director, Road Safety for theGovernment of Victoria.

Ian is a psychologist with a PhD in human factors. Heis a Fellow of the Australian Academy of TechnologicalSciences and Engineering and Immediate Past-President (and Life Member) of the Road EngineeringAssociation of Asia and Australasia. Ian is committedto seeing research results implemented. His currentresearch interest is how innovation in injury preventionfinds its way into practice. Ian has more than 30 yearsexperience in road safety, including as a Trustee ofthe Global Traffic Safety Trust, a small group of safetyprofessionals who donated their time to furtheringsafety in developing countries.

Chair of Road SafetyProfessor Brian FildesPhD, CProdE, BSc(Hons)

Professor Fildes holds an appointmentas the Chair of Road Safety atMUARC and is also a member of theDepartments of Psychology and Civil

Engineering at Monash.

He has a PhD in Psychology and qualifications inEngineering and his speciality is Human Factorsresearch. He has particular interests in occupantprotection, driver perception and injuries to olderpeople, both on the road and in the home.

Brian joined the Centre soon after it was established in1987. He has been instrumental in helpinggovernment agencies implement a number of newinjury prevention countermeasures and programs aswell as evaluating real world crash performance ofcars for the automotive industry.

Chair of Injury PreventionProfessor Joan Ozanne-SmithMD, MBBS, MA(prelim), MPH, FAFPHM

Professor Ozanne-Smith holds thefoundation Chair of Injury Prevention.She has qualifications in medicine,public health and sociology and her

Doctoral thesis evaluated a community based injuryprevention program. As well as publishing widely ininjury prevention research, she has received manyawards and international invitations to teach, write andpresent on injury prevention issues.

Her main research interests currently relate to safedesign, recreational injury prevention and theapplication of her research knowledge to thedeveloping world. Increasingly, her research focuseson the determinants of transition from high to lowinjury rates.

Other major interests include injury data systemdevelopments and building intellectual capacity ininjury prevention. The latter is reflected in her role asprincipal supervisor for eight PhD students during2005, and her contributions to global injury prevention

capacity building.

Dr. Max Cameron PhD, MSc, BSc

Dr. Cameron is a Principal ResearchFellow in the Monash UniversityAccident Research Centre. He wasformerly an Adjunct Professor withinthe Centre while on secondment from

VicRoads. He holds an M.Sc. in mathematicalstatistics and is a Fellow of the Royal StatisticalSociety. During 2000, Max was awarded a PhD for histhesis on statistical evaluation of road traumacountermeasures.

He has worked in the road safety field in Australiasince 1965, with extensive experience in road safetyresearch and its management, and in road safetypolicy formulation and strategic planning. He hasspecial skills in road crash data analysis andcountermeasure evaluation in the behavioural, vehicleand road environment safety areas.

His research interests at MUARC have included ratingthe crashworthiness of cars, and evaluations of theVictorian speed camera program, the random breath

Our Staff, Our Experts


test “booze bus” program, the high-profile massmedia publicity supporting each of these, and theeconomic benefits of these road safety measures.

In recent years he has provided consultancy adviceto the SWOV Institute for Road Safety Research inthe Netherlands, the government of the Republic ofIreland, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government inSouth Africa, the Land Transport Safety Authority inNew Zealand, and road safety agencies throughoutAustralia. He has also played a key role in the SafetyRating Advisory Committee (SARAC) projects for theEuropean Commission.

Dr. Judith CharltonPhD, MSc, BEd, MAPS

Dr. Charlton joined the Centre as aSenior Research Fellow in 2000 andwas reappointed to Senior ResearchFellow Level D in May 2005. Judith isresponsible for managing thebehavioural research team, including

older road user research within the road safetygroup. Judith undertook her PhD in Canada at theUniversity of Waterloo where she studied thekinematics of movement problems resulting frombrain injury using 3-D motion analysis techniques.She is a registered psychologist and has extensiveacademic experience in the applied health sciencesand research on disability, movement impairmentand neuropsychological disorders. The focus of hercurrent research is the safety of vulnerable roadusers including older drivers, drivers with chronicillness and disability, and child occupants of motorvehicles. A particular interest is in impairmentsassociated with ageing and the role of cognition,vision and attention in driving performance. Shesupervises several PhD students in psychology androad safety and lectures in postgraduate programs intraffic medicine. Judith is a Director of BrainFoundation Victoria through which she maintains anactive interest in community services for people withacquired brain injury.

Mr. Bruce Corben MEngSc(Trans), BSc

Since 1993 Mr. Corben has been aSenior Research Fellow at MUARC,leading many road safety researchprojects that have focused primarilyon road infrastructure safety. Bruce’sacademic background is in Science(Physics) and in Engineering Science

(Transport). Key research interests includepedestrians, speed and speeding, roadside safety,motorcyclists, older drivers and the evaluation ofroad infrastructure safety programs and thedevelopment of innovative countermeasures.Bruce’s extensive practical experience in trafficsafety engineering and traffic management withVictoria’s state road authority assists in the

translation of new research knowledge into practicalroad safety strategies and countermeasureprograms.

Dr. Lesley Day PhD, MPH, BSc(Hons)

Dr. Day is a NHMRC SeniorResearch Fellow and has been atMUARC since 1991. Lesley hasqualifications in biological sciencesand public health. She has expertisein injury epidemiology, surveillance,research design, and the design and

evaluation of injury interventions. Her particularresearch interests lie in the application ofepidemiological methods to injury preventionresearch, and development of the interface ofepidemiology with other key disciplines. Lesleymanages a program of research on farm injury andmaintains an active interest in falls preventionresearch. Lesley frequently provides policy advice tostate government through a number of advisorycommittees. She teaches injury epidemiology atMonash and Melbourne universities, and co-ordinates the MUARC postgraduate program.

Dr. Narelle Haworth PhD, BA(Hons)

Dr. Haworth is a Senior ResearchFellow who has managed researchprojects in almost all areas of roadsafety since commencing at MUARCin 1987. Her research experiencehas ranged from analyses of the roleof driver factors such as fatigue and

aggression in crashes to evaluations of the impact ofroad safety advertising. Narelle has managedsurveys of the effects of graduated licensing, pre-driver education, local government road safetyactivities, motorcycle safety and truck driverbehaviour. She has assisted in the development ofroad safety strategies for several jurisdictions andundertaken research into fleet safety. In recentyears, Narelle has applied her knowledge of driverbehaviour and human factors to a number of railsafety issues.

Dr. Michael ReganPhD, BSc(Hons),MESA

Dr. Regan is an applied experimentalpsychologist with specialist expertisein human factors and ergonomics.He joined the Centre, as a SeniorResearch Fellow, in 1997 and in2003 was reappointed to Senior

Research Fellow Level D (a level similar to that ofAssociate Professor). Prior to that he was Manager-Road User Behaviour at VicRoads. Mike’s currentresearch interests are in the areas of road userbehaviour, human factors in intelligent transportsystems (ITS), human-in-the-loop driving simulation,

8Annual Report 2005

novice driver and passenger safety, driver distractionand aviation safety. He is a Member and PastChairman of the Ergonomics Society of Australia andholds Full Membership of the U.S. Human Factorsand Ergonomics Society, ITS Australia, the AustralianAviation Psychology Association and the AustralianCollege of Road Safety. He is the Australian memberof International Organisation for Standardization (ISO)Technical Committee 22, Sub-Committee 13, whichdevelops international standards for the ergonomicdesign of road vehicles.

Ms. Erin Cassell MPH, BA

Ms. Cassell is a Senior ResearchFellow at the Centre. She hasqualifications in sociology and publichealth. She is the Director of theVictorian Injury Surveillance andApplied Research unit at MUARC. Hercurrent research interests include

injury surveillance, sport, child and home injuryprevention research, older persons falls prevention,and the evaluation of injury prevention interventions.She is MUARC’s designated support person in thearea of community injury prevention/safe communitiesand represents MUARC on WHO Safe Communitiescommittees and other forums. She is a member ofthe Victorian Safe Communities Network ExecutiveCommittee.

Dr. Peter J. HillardPhD, BEng(Hons), ARSM

Dr. Hillard joined the Centre as aSenior Research Fellow towards theend of 2003 primarily to work onvehicle safety related projects. He hasa first degree in engineering fromImperial College and a PhD in injury

biomechanics from the University of Bristol. He hadpreviously held research and lecturing posts at Bruneland Manchester Metropolitan Universities beforemoving to Australia.

Peter’s current responsibilities include supervision ofthe biomechanical modelling team, management ofthree AutoCRC projects relating to various aspects ofoccupant protection, and operational management ofthe Enhanced Crash Investigation (ECI) project. ECI isa real world crash investigation program sponsored byVicRoads which aims to improve understanding of thecauses of serious injury crashes and aid developmentof low cost countermeasures which can beimplemented at local level. Peter also has a stronginterest in heavy vehicle, mobile plant, and workvehicle safety, and his previous research clients in thisarea have included VicPol, DIER (Tas), BlueScopeSteel, Rio Tinto Coal Australia, and the MetropolitanAmbulance Service.

Mr. Jim Langford MEdSt, BA(Hons)

Mr. Langford joined the Centre as aSenior Research Fellow in mid-2005,after having spent five years on a part-time secondment from the TasmanianDepartment of Infrastructure Energyand Resources. His training is inPsychology and he has had

experience in various research and evaluationcontexts, especially in Education and Health.

Jim has been in the road safety area for the pastfifteen years and his current interests range from olderdriver safety to setting safer speed limits. He is alsothe editor of and a principal writer for the AustroadsAustralasian Road Safety Handbook, the most recentvolume of which covers research and policy issuesassociated with the Austroads Safe Systemsapproach.

Dr. Michael Lenné PhD, BSc(Hons)

Dr. Lenné is a Senior Research Fellowat MUARC, has a PhD in ExperimentalPsychology, and is a registeredPsychologist. He has significantexperience conducting research in theroad safety and military aviation andmaritime environments. His main

research interest is in the field of human factorspsychology, and he has been involved in a number ofprojects in the areas of alcohol, drugs and driving.While continuing work in these areas, Michael is alsousing his human factors expertise across a number ofprojects in the areas of road infrastructure andvulnerable road users. He has recently managedprojects in rail safety and is also managing a majorproject that aims to improve data systems in generalaviation.

Dr. Astrid LinderPhD, MSc(Engineering Physics)

Dr. Linder, a Holden Post DoctoralResearch Fellow, has been at MUARCsince August 2003. Astrid has a PhD inMechanical Engineering in the area ofvehicle safety and a M.Sc. inEngineering Physics from Sweden.

Her PhD focused on whiplash injuries in rear impactsand dummy development and dynamic seat testrelated to these injuries. Prior to her position atMUARC she ran a research project in England. Hercurrent research interest is in occupant kinematics,injury prevention in vehicle crashes, mathematicalsimulations and dynamic testing.

Her research at MUARC included vehicle design forpedestrian protection, seat testing in rear impact withfocus on whiplash injuries and occupant dynamics andprotection in far-side crashes. Astrid left the Centre inJune to return to Sweden.


Dr. David Logan PhD, BE(Hons)

Dr. Logan is a Senior Research Fellowand Vehicle Safety Manager atMUARC and has completed aBachelor of Engineering (Hons ClassI) and a PhD in MechanicalEngineering, in the field of machinecondition monitoring. He has several

years’ experience in the consulting engineeringindustry, working in areas including component testingfor the automotive industry, advanced vibrationanalysis, low volume vehicle compliance, heavyvehicle brake system testing, architectural andbuilding acoustics and noise control.

David manages seven multi-disciplinary researchersin the real-world crash investigation team, collectingdata and conducting analyses for several studies. Heconducts safety and performance test programs forthe Victorian ambulance services and is on theworking group for the Farm Injury Risk Among Men(FIRM) study.

Mr. Stuart Newstead MSc, BSc(Hons)

Mr. Newstead is a Senior ResearchFellow. He holds a M.Sc.(Research) inthe field of mathematical statistics andis accredited by the AustralianStatistical Society. Since 1993 he hasworked in the road safety field at theCentre. He has developed expertise in

the areas of road safety program evaluation, vehiclesafety research from mass data analysis andmanagement and analysis of road crash databases.He has particular interest in the development andapplication of statistical methodology in both roadsafety and broader public health research. Stuart iscurrently completing a PhD concerned with theapplication of statistical analysis techniques to roadsafety research.

Dr. Jennie Oxley PhD, BSc(Hons)

Dr. Oxley is a Senior Research Fellowwho has been involved in many areasof road safety research sincecommencing at the Centre in 1990.Jennie has a PhD in Psychology,having examined the effects of ageand impairments associated with

ageing on pedestrian performance.

Jennie’s main research expertise is in the field ofhuman factors psychology, particularly the role ofbehavioural and functional factors on crash and injuryrisk, and the development of innovative measures toimprove the safety and mobility of vulnerable roadusers. Her current research interests focus onpedestrians (older, child and intoxicated), olderdrivers, the role of functional impairments in drivingand walking, road design and infrastructure for olderroad users, educational and training packages forvulnerable road users, long-term consequences ofinjury, factors affecting the safety of young novicedrivers, and speed and speeding.

Dr. Jenny SherrardPhD, MPH, GradDipEval, BSc

Dr. Sherrard is a Senior ResearchFellow with a PhD in the field of injuryepidemiology. She has formalqualifications in infectious diseases,public health, and evaluation. Jenny first

joined the Centre in 1993. In 1995, she was offered aPhD Scholarship with Professor Bruce Tonge in theDepartment of Psychiatry and, on completion of herdoctorate, rejoined the Centre in 1999. Since then, herresearch has mostly focused on the evaluation of injurycountermeasures particularly at the community levelwith some project work for the Australian DefenceForce.

Melanie Franklyn, Nimmi Candappa,Christine Mulvihill and Bruce Corbenwere among those who attended theRoad Safety Conference in New Zealand

10Annual Report 2005

Emeritus Professor Tom TriggsPhD, MEngSci, BE, BSc

Tom Triggs is Deputy Director and aProfessor of Psychology at MonashUniversity. Formerly, he was Directorof the Battelle Human Factors andOrganizational Effectiveness ResearchCentre in Seattle, and Manager,

Experimental Psychology Department at Bolt, Beranekand Newman in Boston.

He is a member of the editorial board of SafetyScience, and a member of the U.S. TransportationResearch Board Sub-committee on driver training. Heobtained his PhD in Psychology from the University ofMichigan and his Master’s degree in AeronauticalEngineering from the University of Sydney.

Professor Triggs is a Fellow of the Human Factorsand Ergonomics Society, and a Fellow of theErgonomics Society of Australia of which he is a PastPresident. He was awarded the Cumming MemorialMedal of the Ergonomics Society in 2000, and was co-recipient of the Alan Welford Award of the Society in2002. He was previously Associate Editor of HumanFactors for 21 years, and the Australian and NewZealand Associate Editor of Applied Ergonomics for 10years.

His current research interests are in human factors ofdecision-aiding, human-computer interface issues anddriving simulation.

Adjunct Professor Tore LarssonPhD, MA

Professor Tore Larsson has anextensive background in injuryprevention research developed inSweden. He commenced with MUARCin 1997, his main interest areas beingaccident and injury analysis, criteria for

prevention, occupational risk assessment, and theimplementation of work site measures.

Professor Larsson returned to Sweden in January 2003to take up an appointment as Professor (OccupationalInjury Prevention) with the Royal Institute of Technology,Stockholm, Sweden. He has been appointed as anAdjunct Professor in the Centre, and continues tosupervise PhD student, Ben Brooks.

Adjunct Professor Claes TingvallDrMedSci, MSc

Professor Tingvall is a statistician witha PhD in Medical Science and is aProfessor in Injury Epidemiology(1991). He was Head of FolksamInsurance Research in Traffic Safety

(until 1994) then Director of Traffic Safety at theSwedish National Road Administration 1995-98.Professor Tingvall was Director of MUARC between1998 and 2000, when he returned to the SwedishNational Road Administration.

Professor Tingvall maintains his keen interest in thedevelopment of the Centre’s Visionary ResearchModel and other projects, and spends several weeksworking at MUARC each year.

Adjunct Professor Peter VulcanDEng(honoris causa), PhD, MSEM, MechE, BA

Professor Peter Vulcan was theFoundation Director of the MonashUniversity Accident Research Centreuntil his retirement in August 1998.Previously he was Chairman, Victorian

Road Safety and Traffic Authority and prior to thatAssistant Secretary Road Safety, CommonwealthDepartment of Transport. Peter has B.Mech.E. andB.A. degrees from Melbourne University, with a PhD inBiomechanics from Wayne State University, USA. Hehas been involved in road safety for more than 40years.

Professor Vulcan’s contribution to MUARC and thefield of injury prevention were recognised in 2002 withthe establishment of the Peter Vulcan Scholarship bythe Monash University Accident Research Foundationand the award of Doctor of Engineering honoris causa

by Monash University.

Dr. Eric Wigglesworth AM, Hon MD,

DAppSc, MSc, DipEd, BSc

Dr. Eric Wigglesworth accepted aninvitation to join the Centre as anHonorary Senior Research Fellow inSeptember 1998. This followed his

retirement after serving for almost 20 years as thefounding Executive Director of the Sir Robert MenziesMemorial Foundation. During this period he alsocompleted a series of investigations into road-railfatalities at level crossings and has published 12reports on this theme. He also has a strong interest inthe pattern of occupational injuries, and has publishedwidely on the advocacy of occupational health andsafety and trauma reduction.


KathyDiamantopoulou

Nimmi Candappa

Irene BobevskiKaren Ashby

Sjaanie KoppelEffie Hoareau Ajith Gunatliaka

Melanie FranklynBarbara FoxMichael Fitzharris

Lisa SharwoodVirginia RoutleyEve Mitsopoulos

Karen StephanVoula StathakisCarolyn Staines

Kristie YoungWendy Watson

Nebojsa TomasevicMark Symmons

Paul SalmonCarlyn Muir

Wayne Baker

Angela Clapperton

Louisa Lam

Linda Watson

Research FellowsMs. Karen Ashby MPH,GradDipHealthScienc, BA

Mr. Wayne Baker †MEngSc(Res), BE(Mech)(Hons), BA

Dr. Irene Bobevski DPsych(Clin), BAppSci, BA(Hons)

Ms. Nimmi Candappa BEng(Civil)(Hons), BA(Jap)

Ms. Angela Clapperton M(Counselling), GradDipEdPsych., BSc(Behav)

Ms. Kathy Diamantopoulou MSc, BSc(Hons)

Mr. Michael Fitzharris †BSc(Hons), BA

Ms. Barbara Fox †MApSocRes, RN, BA

Dr. Melanie Franklyn PhD, ME (Biomedical Prelim.), BSc

Ms. Effie Hoareau GradDip(Stats&OpRes), BSc

Mr. Simon Hosking B.App.Sci(Hons)

Dr. Ajith Gunatilaka PhD, MS(EE), MS(Optical Eng), BSc.Eng(Hons)

[until Oct.]

Dr. Sjaanie Koppel PhD, BAppSc(Hons), BA

Ms. Louisa Lam †MPH, GrapDip(Coronary Care), BHSc, RN

Ms. Eve Mitsopoulos †BA, BSc(Hons)

Ms. Carlyn Muir MA(SocSci), Psych(Hons)

Ms. Virginia Routley †MPH, GradDip(SocStats), DipEd, BEc

Mr. Paul SalmonMs. Lisa Sharwood †Grad Dip Nurs, DipAppSc(Nursing), RN

Ms. Carolyn Staines †BSc(Hons)

Ms. Voula Stathakis MPH, GradDip(Epi/BioStats), BSc

Ms. Karen Stephan MPH, BSc(Hons),

Dr. Mark Symmons †PhD, MSc, BSc(Hons), BAppSc

Mr. Nebojsa Tomasevic MEngSc(Biomed), BEE

Ms. Linda Watson BSc(Hons)

Ms. Wendy Watson †MA, DipEd, BSc(Hons), BA

Ms. Kristie Young BAppSc(Psych)(Hons)

† Part-time


Belinda ClarkAnthony ClarkChris Brennan

Melinda Congiu Amanda Delaney Clay Douglas

Jessica Edquist David Elsner Cosimo Ercole

Christine MulvihillJessica Killian

Narelle Hayes

Zoe PiggottSujanie Peiris James Scully Miriam Shrimski Ashley Verdoorn

Vicki Xafis

Michelle Whelan

Research AssistantsMr. Mats AgbyMr. Chris Brennan †B.App.Sci(Hons)(Aero) [until Nov.]

Mr. Anthony Clark BEng(Hons)

Ms. Belinda Clark †BA, BBSc(Hons)

Ms. Melinda Congiu B.Bus(Psych), GradDip(Psych)

Mr. Angelo D’Elia BE(Hons), BSc.(Hons)

Ms. Amanda Delaney LLB, BCom(Hons)

Mr. Clay Douglas †BEng(Hons)

Ms. Jessica Edquist †Grad Dip(Psych), BSc.

Mr. David Elsner †BA(Hons), BCommerce, Grad Dip App Finance

Mr. Cosimo Ercole †BA(Hons), DipEd

Ms. Dinalie Fernando †BComp

Ms. Nicola Fotheringham †BA/BSc

Mr. Jonathon Guy BA(Hons)

Ms. Eleri Harris †BA(Hons)

Ms. Narelle Hayes †BA

Mr. Robin Hutchinson †BSc(Behav.), BSc(Hons)

Mr. David Kenny †Crash Investigation Engineer

Ms. Jessica Killian †MSc(Repro), GradDip (ReproSci), BSc

Mr. Ron Laemmle Crash Investigation Engineer

Ms. Kelly Marks †BAppSc

Mr. Ian Morrison †PG Dip Beh.Sci, Grad Dip Psych, BA(Hons)

Ms. Christine Mulvihill BBSc(Hons)

Ms. Mary O’Hare †MA, BA(Hons)

Ms. Sujanie Peiris†BSc(Hon), BE(Hon)

Ms. Zoe Piggott †BA

Mr. James Scully MSc(Maths), BSc(Hons), BA

Ms. Miriam Shrimski †Mr. Ashley Verdoorn †BSc

Ms. Michelle Whelan †BBSc(Hons)

Ms. Vicki Xafis RSA DTEFLA, BA(Languages) [until Sept]

† Part-time

Ron Laemmle

David KennyNicolaFotheringham


Rachel Whitworth

Project and Support Staff

Ms. Sarah Allen †BCom/BEc Administrative Assistant

Ms. Sue Bond †RN (Div 1) B. Health Sci., Grad Dip Rural Nursing,

Grad Dip Crit Care

Ms. Jean Box †RN

Mrs. Glenda Cairns † PA to Director,Webmaster, Publications Officer & Postgrad AO

Ms. Christine Chesterman †Dip.Hol.Kin., VISAR Admin. Assistant

Ms. Cathy Daly BMus/BTeach(Hons), †Administrative Officer, Finance

Mrs. Noelene Deveson Senior Project Officer

Ms. Anne Harrison †RN (Div 2)

Ms. Dianne Hill †Grad.Cert. Clin. Trials

Mr. Fabian McLindin †RN, Assoc Dip Farm Management

Ms. Matoula Leichman †Administrative Assistant

Ms. Emily Mifsud Office Manager/Administrative Secretary

Ms. Kristen Moore Administrative Assistant

Mr. David Ng †BSc Computer Support

Ms. Debra Neilson †RN, Cert Nursing Admin & Clinical Teaching

Ms. Nicole Paramanis AIMM, BA(Hons), HND Centre Manager

Ms. Vicky Ribas Administrative Officer, Finance

Mr. David Sheppee Co-ordinator, Occupant Protection Project

Mr. David Stroud GradDip Computer Systems Engineering, BEngComputer Systems Officer

Ms. Melanie Thiedeman †GradDip(Asian Studies), BAPersonal Assistant to Professor Brian Fildes

Mr. Scott Vost † Driving Simulator Tech. Support

Ms. Rachel Whitworth BEd Project/Administrative Officer

† Part-time

David Sheppee

David Ng

ChristineChesterman

David Stroud

Noelene DevesonCathy Daly

Glenda Cairns

Melanie Thiedeman

Vicky Ribas

Emily Mifsud

Matoula Leichman

Kristen Moore

Nicole Paramanis

Sarah Allen

Nurses working on the FIRM project met at theCentre for training. Back (left to right):Anne Harrison, Fabian McLindin, Debra Neilson.Front: Jean Box, Sue Bond, Dianne Hill


The Centre in Profile

The Monash University Accident Research Centre(MUARC) is Australia’s largest research institutespecialising in the study of injury prevention and safetyscience.

Its work and mission, ‘to challenge and support,citizens, government and industry to eliminate serioushealth losses due to injury’ gives prominence to, butgoes beyond research and training, and embracesadvocacy, engagement and application.

MUARC:• Conducts research in the community setting, and in

rural, transport and workplace safety• Comprises almost 90 staff members, with skills and

experience in a wide range of disciplines• Provides a stimulating program for postgraduate

researchers• Utilises the most advanced driving simulator in the

southern hemisphere• Manages the injury surveillance database system

for Victoria• Realised external revenue of almost $7 million for 2005.

Established in 1987, MUARC is a centre of MonashUniversity. It has close links with, but is not attachedto, any of Monash University’s teaching faculties.

The Director of the Centre is responsible to the Chair,Board of Management, for the operation of the Centre.The Chair, Board of Management has responsibilitiesin relation to the Centre normally held by the Dean of aFaculty. As the convention has been that thechairperson is also the University’s Vice-Chancellor(Research), the role includes that of academic mentorto the Centre’s director.

As the Centre is not incorporated, Board members arenot directors for the purposes of the Corporations Law.Comprising highly respected and experiencedrepresentatives of the public sector, RACV andMonash University, the Board’s role is to monitor the

general performance and direction of the Centre’sresearch program, and to consider any mattersreferred to it by the Vice-Chancellor.

What does MUARC do?In Overview of Injury in Australia (www.health.gov.au),the Australian Government Department of Health andAgeing advises that ‘injuries result in an estimated8,000, or 6%, of deaths each year in Australia and areresponsible for an estimated 400,000 hospitaladmissions annually. Injuries are the principal cause ofdeath in almost half of the people under 45 years ofage, and account for a range of physical, cognitiveand psychological disabilities that seriously affect thequality of life of injured people and their families’.

Although a substantive proportion of MUARC’s work isconducted within the Australian setting, there isabundant appreciation that the ‘burden of injury’ isglobal. As reported in the World report on road trafficinjury prevention, the increasing motorisation in theworld’s most heavily populated areas has led toestimates that road trauma may double by 2020.Drowning, falls, intentional injury, injuries to olderpeople and people in remote communities representother major priorities and challenges to be overcometo reduce suffering for victims and their familiesthroughout the world.

MUARC was established in the belief that injury ispreventable, that solutions are achievable by theapplication of scientific methods, and that the requiredcommitment to implement and sustain change isattainable.

MUARC has been a key player in the gains in injuryreduction in Australia in the past two decades. Theadoption of a simple but effective model for the injuryreduction research process has been key to oursuccess, see below.

There are many examples of success. Victoria’s percapita death rate from motor vehicle crashes is now

among the lowest in the world. TheVictorian Government’s transport injurycompensation insurer has established thatits investment in evidence-based injuryprevention efforts has provided excellenteconomic returns.

Significant gains have also been made inreducing injury from the use of tractors onfarms, from requirements for the fencing ofpools in residences, and from the re-designof workplaces to control the interactionbetween pedestrian workers and forkliftoperators.


Highlights of an Active Year

Strategic PlanningA major independent, external review was completedin the first half of 2004 by a national and internationalpanel of experts and clients, chaired by ProfessorStephen Parker, the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor atMonash. The review panel acknowledged the extentof MUARC’s success and applauded its standing in itsfield but perceived some critical threats tosustainability. The panel recommended that afundamental strategic planning process be undertakento provide both MUARC and Monash with a clearsense of the future vision for MUARC and a plan forits realisation.

Monash provided special funding to enable thestrategic planning process to commence at thebeginning of 2005. MUARC’s Strategic Plan wasadopted by the Board of Management in December2005.

In determining the future directions for MUARC it wasimportant to consider the strategic directions of theuniversity as a whole. Monash University’s futuredirections were finalised in February 2005 byUniversity Council. Monash Vision for 2025 identifiedfive key areas of ambition:

• a determination to make Monash one of the threeleading research universities in Australia

• a vision of continuously increasing internationalism– defined as increasing collaboration in large scaleinternational research projects

• a desire to use existing Monash internationalcampuses and centres (Malaysia, South Africa andEurope) to extend Monash’s research reputation

• continuous improvement in the degree ofengagement with government, industry and thecommunity

• a determination to capture the cross-disciplinarysynergies through greater inter-facultycollaborations in research

As a Centre with a multi-disciplinary focus, a trackrecord of industry, government and communityengagement and an established internationalreputation, MUARC is well placed to contributetowards the achievement of these ambitions.

MUARC’s plan consists of three parts (see schemabelow); Part A sets out MUARC’s Vision, Mission andValues for the five-year strategic plan at the macrolevel; its four aspirational and two enabling goals forthe five years 2006-2010 and 36 strategies to achievethese six goals.


Relationship between the Research Directions Planand the MUARC Strategic Plan

A planning day was held in August facilitated byProfessor Michael Berndt, Biochemistry andMolecular Biology

Part B prioritises the implementation process and setsdown the strategies for immediate implementation (in2006) and the specific targets that will define progress.

Part C contains the details of the implementation plansfor 2007 and beyond. These will be updated annuallyas circumstances change. Towards the end of 2006 anew Part B will be prepared to drive the 2007implementation effort… And so on.

A significant and fundamental section of the StrategicPlan and planning process this year has been thedevelopment of a Research Directions Plan for 2006-2015 under the direction of a subcommittee of seniorstaff, the Research Needs Analysis Committee. Itsought to identify directions and strategies forprogrammatic research development and prioritythemes. It is leading towards a Research StrategicAction Plan which will be finalised in the first half of2006.

The figure below shows the relationships between theResearch Directions Plan and the MUARC StrategicPlan. The Research Directions Plan can becharacterised as the first phase in the development ofkey research strategies aimed at achieving leadingresearch, the first goal of the MUARC Strategy.

The Research Directions Plan complements currentMUARC leading edge and programmatic researchstrengths and directions. It is intended to determinefuture growth directions for MUARC in the major areasof MUARC’s research strengths, transport, communityand workplace injury prevention with reference towhere the biggest issues lie. It seeks to identifydirections and strategies for programmatic researchdevelopment and to identify priority themes and largeprojects.


External Recognition

Professor Triggs in the driving simulator

Honour of Emeritus ProfessorIn February this year, the recently retired ProfessorTom Triggs, MUARC Deputy Director and formerHead of the Psychology department received thehonour of emeritus professor and has been added toMonash’s prestigious roll.

Tom joined the university in 1973; during his career hisresearch interests have focused on the human factorsand driver simulation program in road safety.

He played a key role in establishing MUARC and, afterseeing a driving simulator in the US in 1989,introduced the concept into Australia as a safe way oftesting driving conditions and others factors in a low-risk context. Professor Triggs has continuedsupervising research students and maintains ahands-on interest in MUARC projects.

MUARC - WHO Collaborating Centre forViolence, Injuries and DisabilitiesIn July 2005 MUARC was designated a WHOCollaborating Centre for Violence, Injuries andDisabilities. The designation is for the Western PacificRegion encompassing 27 countries, including China,Vietnam, Japan, Cambodia and the Philippines. It isenvisaged that the Collaborating Centre will also workclosely with the South-East Asia Region and WHOglobally.

MUARC’s role as a WHO Collaborating Centre is toassist with the development and monitoring of regional

capacity in injury prevention including data systems,research, and injury prevention policy and planningdevelopments; to contribute to solving the majorunintentional injury burden in the region (particularlyroad traffic injury, drowning, falls, poisoning) throughresearch, training, leading-edge workshops andgeneral information exchange; to contribute to suicideprevention in the region by conducting research onaccess to the means of suicide and assistingcountries to develop and implement policies aimed atreducing access to methods such as poisoning andfalls from heights; and to assist the WHO regionalOffice for the Western Pacific to develop, implementand evaluate a regional injury prevention strategy.

Activities during the first six months of operationincluded capacity building (Australian YouthAmbassadors, ongoing PhD projects focused onregional country needs, mentoring), a major leading-edge workshop in Beijing (“International Workshop onDrowning Prevention in China”), WHO consultanciesin Mongolia (Karen Ashby) and Vietnam (JoanOzanne-Smith) and contributions to strategic planningand developmental work for the WHO/UNICEF WorldReport on Child and Adolescent Injury.

WHO invited Professor Joan Ozanne-Smith to attendas a speaker and facilitator for a number of sessionsat the Strategic Planning and Capacity Building forInjury Prevention and Control Meeting, in 2005 andalso the Child Injury Prevention Planning Meeting inGeneva, Switzerland.

Induction of Fellow

Professor Brian Fildes, Chair of Road Safety, receivedinduction as a Fellow of the Association for theAdvancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). He willChair the AAAM Scientific Program Committee in2006.


Nimmi Candappa, recipient of Practitioner’s Award

Dr. Mike Regan accepted the Peter Vulcan Award onbehalf of the authors at the Road Safety Conference

2005 Australasian Road Safety ResearchPolicing and Education ConferenceNimmi Candappa received the “Practitioner’s Award”at the 2005 Australasian Road Safety ResearchPolicing Education Conference, for the paper she co-authored, “Evaluation of an Alternative PedestrianTreatment at a Roundabout” – Candappa, N.,Fotheringham, N., Lenné, M., Corben, B., Johansson,C., and Smith, P. The award was for the paper whichbest reflects a completed road safety program. Theevaluation of the modified pedestrian facilities, whichshowed increased pedestrian safety and convenience,provides to other road safety practitioners a tangible,successful design option for increased pedestriansafety.

Dr. Mike Regan accepted the 2005 Peter VulcanAward, for the best peer-reviewed research paperpresented at the 2005 Australasian Road SafetyResearch, Policing and Education Conference held inWellington, New Zealand on 14-15 November 2005.Mike was the senior author of the paper, whichreported the final results of the TAC SafeCar project.The MUARC co-authors were Kristie Young, ProfessorTom Triggs, Nebojsa Tomasevic, Eve Mitsopoulos,and Adjunct Professor Claes Tingvall.

International Conference on Driver DistractionA paper by Simon Hosking, Kristie Young and Dr. MikeRegan, titled “The effects of text messaging on youngdriver performance”, was awarded best paper at thefirst International Conference on Driver Distraction,Sydney, 2-3 June 2005.

Dr. Mike Regan also gave a Keynote Address titled“Driver distraction: reflections on the past, present andfuture” at this conference.


Publishing AgreementDr. Mike Regan, Kristie Young and Professor JohnLee (University of Iowa) signed a publishingagreement with CRC Press to publish the first book ondriver distraction (“Driver distraction: theory, effectsand mitigation”). The book will be published early in2007.

Mollie Holman Doctoral Medal Award toDr. Shauna SherkerShauna’s thesis addressed an important andneglected area of public health. In Victoria alone,about 5,000 children present to hospital EmergencyDepartments (ED) and more than 1,100 arehospitalised annually as the result of a playground fallinjury. Upper limb fractures account for 48% of theseED presentations and 75% of these admissions. Thisthesis conducted in conjunction with an NHMRCproject grant (Joan Ozanne-Smith and Lei Li) used anovel interface design between epidemiology,biomechanics and engineering. The research resultshave strong implications for the re-design of children’splaygrounds and for Australian and InternationalPlayground Standards. Several journal articles directlyrelated to the thesis have already been published.Beyond the scientific literature, the research resultshave been disseminated widely at conferences andcommunity presentations and public debate has beenstimulated via the media. Several awards have beenmade in commendation of the research leading to thethesis. Importantly, Shauna has been appointed andnominated for appointment to Boards, Committeesand Standards Australia which have the potential tofacilitate the implementation of her research findings.Shauna was supervised by Joan Ozanne-Smith, Dr.Lei Li (until 1999) and Dr. George Rechnitzer (2001-2003).

B-HERT AwardMUARC formed part of the Victorian Public HealthTraining Scheme consortium that was awarded the B-HERT (Business/Higher Education Round Table)Award in December for Best Education and TrainingCollaboration. Awarded by the Australian GovernmentDepartment of Education, Science and Training.

Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA)Annual ConferenceJonathon Ehsani (Victorian Public Health TrainingScheme assignment at MUARC) and Professor JoanOzanne-Smith won best poster award at the PublicHealth Association of Australia (PHAA) AnnualConference (Perth) “Childhood Injury Mortality in theWestern Pacific Region and South East Asia”

International ConsultantThe Zhejiang Province (46 million population) Centresfor Disease Control (CDC) appointed Professor JoanOzanne-Smith as an international consultant to theircentre. Professor Ozanne-Smith made an invitedpresentation to CDC in Hangzhou (April) “Injurysurveillance and prevention: international experience”.

ScholarshipMs. Fiona Clay, PhD student, was awarded a place inthe summer school on work disability prevention at theUniversity of Sherbrooke in Quebec, Canada. Thisscholarship is for a three-year program involvingyearly periods of study in Canada.

Fiona Clay


An Independent Voice

Cause of Fatality and Injury on VictorianFarmsThe final report of the Parliamentary Inquiry into theCause of Fatality and Injury on Victorian farms wasreleased in 2005. Dr Lesley Day had made an invitedpresentation to the Committee in 2003, and herpresentation and various publications are heavily quotedin the report. A key requirement of the inquiry was toreport on strategies for reducing injury and fatality onVictorian farms, and a considerable number of the 32recommendations call on government agencies, farmerorganisations, and community groups to implementspecific strategies. The government’s response to thereport is due early in 2006.

Pedestrian IntoxicationA Parliamentary Inquiry into the Incidence andPrevention of Pedestrian Accidents was published in1999. Recommendation 12 from this Inquiry stated“That a legal definition of intoxication be established”.In May 2000 the Government published a response tothis Inquiry. The response to Recommendation 12stated that this recommendation was not supported tothe extent that it envisaged a definition based onBlood Alcohol Concentration (BAC). In March 2005,the Victorian Parliamentary Road Safety Committeesought submissions on the recommendations of its1999 Inquiry. MUARC was contracted by VicRoads toconduct a study to examine the recent literature andpractice to determine whether the governmentresponse to this recommendation should beamended. This report concluded that manyuncertainties remain concerning the definition ofintoxication, the BACs at which outward signs ofintoxication become evident, and how variousindividual factors mediate the appearance of signs of

intoxication and the resultant BAC. It is concluded thatthere is currently a lack of conclusive evidence thatwould support the establishment of a legal definition ofintoxication based on BAC. This report formed part ofVicRoads response to the Victorian ParliamentaryRoad Safety Committee.

City of Casey – Review of residentialsubdivision design with regard to safetyperformanceGiven the rapid growth in subdivisions in the City ofCasey, MUARC was commissioned to evaluatecurrent subdivision guidelines of the Council withrespect to best practice in residential area design. Theintention was to take proactive measures to establishsafe designs prior to actual construction, such that,where feasible, only best practice road designs wouldbe used within future subdivisions in Casey,preventing avoidable injuries of road users and costlyretrofitting of countermeasures.

Speed Limit SettingIn 2005, the Victorian Minister for Transport requestedthe Victorian Speed Limits Advisory Group to reviewand make recommendations on speed zoningpractices in Victoria. As part of this review, MUARCwas commissioned by VicRoads to examine theappropriateness, implementation practices and overallimpact of the current VicRoads speed limit guidelinesas they apply specifically to school zones, shoppingstrips, and rural town centres. The resulting reportexamined speed limits in school zones, shoppingstrips and rural town centres around Australasia andinternationally, and identified the leading speedphilosophies, policies and practices in both Australianand overseas jurisdictions. It concluded that excessiveor inappropriate speed has a twofold effect on safety:each increases both the risk of involvement in aninjury crash and the severity of injury when a crashoccurs. Important issues of speed limit settingpractices that were identified include: consideration ofthe speed/road infrastructure; development of a moreprotective road infrastructure; desirability of obtainingpublic acceptance for reduced speed limits; vigorouspromotion of compliance with posted limits;consistency in setting speed limits across the wholenetwork; and creation of readily apparent speed limitsthrough the use of signage and other roadenvironment cues.


City of Port Phillip - examples of before and aftera safety treatment

City of Port Phillip - Roundabout EvaluationRoundabouts are known to be one of the safesttreatments at intersections. However, a popularcriticism of roundabouts is that they do not cater wellfor pedestrians. The City of Port Phillip in Melbourne,Victoria, reconstructed an existing roundabout at abusy suburban intersection to provide greater safetyand convenience for pedestrians. The innovativedesign provides right-of-way for pedestrians directly atthe intersection, in contrast with standard roundaboutdesigns. A before-and-after study was undertaken toevaluate the success of this design in terms ofpedestrian safety and convenience. The resultsindicated a general decrease in mean vehicle speed,greater pedestrian compliance with the crossings, andreduced waiting time for pedestrians, suggestinggreater convenience and safety with the newtreatment. The surveys of pedestrians reflected thesefindings through generally positive responses towardsthe treatment.

Older driver research for VicRoadsAs a follow-on from the recent Victorian ParliamentaryInquiry into Road Safety for Older Road Users,VicRoads commissioned a survey of 2,000 older driversto assess various aspects of their driving and safetyperformance. Two reports have been prepared – onedealing with the extent of driving amongst older licence-holders, the other with aspects of crash risk. The formerreport has been published and the other is still in press.

Driver DistractionMUARC wrote a major submission to the VictorianParliamentary Road Safety Committee’s Inquiry intoDriver Distraction. On 6 December, Dr Mike Regan,Professor Ian Johnston and Kristie Young appearedbefore the Committee and spoke to the Submission.MUARC also prepared for VicRoads a report on driverdistraction that was used to develop their ownsubmission to the Inquiry.

Law ReformDr Eric Wigglesworth offered a written submission tothe Victorian Parliament Law Reform Committee“Inquiry into Coroners Act 1985” and supported thiswith a witness appearance on 28 November 2005.

Development of an Evaluation Framework forthe 2004-2011 Queensland Road SafetyStrategyQueensland Transport commissioned MUARC todevelop an evaluation framework that wouldaccurately monitor and report on the outcomes of theQueensland Road Safety Strategy for 2004-2011 andassociated action plans. The evaluation frameworkfor the Queensland Road Safety Strategy is beingstructured according to the GOSPA model, that is, anoverall goal, objectives, strategies, programs/plans,actions and targets.


To the extent possible, the evaluation frameworkdeveloped for the 2004-2011 Strategy will be trialed onthe previous Queensland Road Safety strategy thatcovered the period 1993-2003. It is expected thatboth the framework development and the trial run onthe earlier strategy will be completed during 2006.

The project also included two other components: areview of Australian and international literature onbest-practice approaches for evaluating road safetystrategies and action plans; and a review of thecurrent methods of providing evaluations andanalyses within Government. Both these reviewswere completed during 2005.

Victorian Injury Prevention Strategy (VIPS)2005-2010The Department of Human Services (DHS)commissioned MUARC to prepare a draft VictorianInjury Prevention Strategy (VIPS) and discussionpaper. The draft was completed in May 2005 and arevised version was finalised in August following feed-back from DHS. The main recommendations for thestrategy focus on priorities based on the size of theproblem, and preventability.

MUARC also provided the DHS with a series of injuryindicators as part of this project, as well as a Victorianinjury profile for 2002 and comprehensive backgrounddocuments for each of the priority areas.

Productivity Commission, CanberraFollowing the release of its Discussion Draft on theAustralian Consumer Product Safety System in August2005, the Productivity Commission held a series ofroundtable discussions to consult with interestedparties on a number of key issues. Professor JoanOzanne-Smith was invited to meet with theProductivity Commission in April to discuss acomprehensive submission made to the review onbehalf of MUARC. Professor Ozanne-Smith andWendy Watson were invited to the further roundtabledealing with data issues in Canberra in October 2005.

Topics of discussion and focus included:

• additional data sources and methodologies thatwould assist the Commission in establishing thelikely level of death and serious and non-seriousinjury caused by consumer products;

• data and views on the magnitude of losses, in theaggregate, caused by consumer products and onthe relative roles played by product fault, productdesign, product servicing and maintenance, andconsumer behaviour in Australia; and

• information and views on cost issues, including: thelikely level of direct and indirect costs from injuriesassociated with consumer products in Australia; theappropriate methodology for calculating such costs;and relevant cost or injury data that may be used asan input to further evaluation of costs in this area.

Child-Resistant Packaging

Professor Joan Ozanne-Smith made an invitedsubmission to the Therapeutic Goods Administration(TGA) on issues of concern regarding Child-ResistantPackaging of Medicines and Other TherapeuticProducts. The Centre has undertaken a program ofchildhood poisoning prevention research since theearly 1990s. Our previous studies have identified theinvolvement of a number of agents that are required tobe packaged in child resistant packaging amongcommon childhood poisoning agents. Consequently,the Victorian Department of Human Services (DHS)funded a collaborative study between MUARC and theRoyal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, in 2004, toinvestigate “Barriers to child poisoning prevention:Why does child resistant packaging fail?”

Child poisoningremains the secondmost commoncause of injuryrelated hospitaladmissions inVictoria for ages 0 -4 years (345admissions in theyear 2002/03). Therate of thesehospitaladmissions, for thispeak age groupwas 113/100,000excluding 340same dayadmissions, andthe rate ofhospitalised cases

has risen over the past nine years in Victoria.Medications were the most commonly involvedagents.

Given that evidence in the scientific literature indicatesprotective effects associated with child resistantpackaging (CRP), recommendations have been maderepeatedly for more agents associated with medicallytreated poisoning to be scheduled to require CRP.This has been taken-up to some extent in the August2004 Therapeutic Goods Order No. 65.

The MUARC study “Barriers to child poisoningprevention: Why does child resistant packaging fail?”focuses on reclosable child resistant containers(CRCs). It includes a comprehensive literature reviewrelating to CRP, an in-depth case series study of childpoisoning cases where agents required CRCs, and anexamination of a sample of containers where the childresistant closure was reported to have failed.Preliminary results and recommendations wereprovided to the TGA to inform the review. Final resultswill be published in 2006.


MUARC is a key player in the gains in injury reductionin Australia and the world over the past two decades.A key reason for this success is our high level ofengagement with government agencies and with arange of industries, which ensures the most importantissues are the subjects of the research thrust and thatthe results are quickly transferred into practice.

A sample of MUARC’s projects with government andindustry partners is presented below.

Used Car Safety Ratings

As part of an ongoing MUARC research programfocusing on vehicle safety, updated crashworthinessratings and aggressivity ratings for 1982-2003 modelvehicles were estimated based on data on crashes inVictoria, New South Wales, Queensland, WesternAustralia and New Zealand. Crashworthinessestimates and their associated confidence limits wereobtained for 288 vehicle models classified into 12market groups.

This year a new aggressivity rating was successfullydeveloped by MUARC which extended the previousrating to consider injury outcomes of not only driversof other vehicles but also of unprotected road userssuch as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. Thenew aggressivity rating measured the risk of death or

serious injury to other drivers or unprotected roadusers impacted by the focus vehicle. Based on thecrash data available, new aggressivity rating estimatesand their associated confidence limits were obtainedfor 261 vehicle models. As in previous years, both thecrashworthiness and aggressivity ratings werepresented in a booklet and made freely available toAustralian consumers.

The Used Car Safety Ratings Committee funded thisresearch; project partners are Qld. Transport, RACV,TAC, VicRoads, NRMA, RTA(NSW), ATSB, RACWA,WA Office of Road Safety, AAA, RACQ, AA NZ andLand Transport New Zealand (MUARC ReportNo. 241)

TAC SafeCarThe TAC SafeCar project, a joint research initiativebetween the Transport Accident Commission (TAC),the Ford Motor Company of Australia and MUARC,was completed during the year. This followed nearlysix years of research and development activity. Duringthe final phase of the project, 15 Ford passenger carswere deployed, each equipped with the followingIntelligent Transport System (ITS) technologies:intelligent speed adaptation, following distancewarning and seat belt reminder. MUARC assessed theeffects of the technologies on the driving performanceand safety of 23 corporate car fleet drivers in Victoria.The study was the first of its kind in the world, and thefinal report on its findings was presented to the TAC inAugust 2005. The report will be released to the publicearly in 2006.

The systems tested were effective in making driversreduce speed, adopt longer following distances to

Government and IndustryEngagement

TAC SafeCar


vehicles ahead and buckle their seatbelts earlier andmore often. Wide scale deployment of these systemsis expected to greatly reduce road trauma in Australia.

Advanced Driving SimulatorMUARC’s advanced driving simulator is the mostadvanced in the southern hemisphere. It was originallypurchased by the Transport Accident Commission tosupport MUARC research in 1998. Upgrading of thesimulator’s capability has commenced and includesnew projectors, a new total visual field projectionscreen, and a new Holden Calais sedan. Holden aregenerously funding a large part of the upgrade.

A team of MUARC researchers has spent the yeardeveloping technical specifications to underpin theupgrade of the simulator’s computers and software.These documents will form an ARC Linkageapplication in the first half of 2006, which if successful,will increase the power of scenario simulation tomaximise research utility. The rapid development ofintelligent transport systems technology makescompletion of a facility capable of assessing newtechnologies vital if Victoria is to maintain its currentleading edge position.

The new facility is expected to become a world-classresearch laboratory and will further raise the profile ofMUARC, the university and Australia in advanceddriving simulation research.

ARC Linkage: Occupant Protection In FarSide CrashesThe research commenced in January 2004 and anumber of key research components are wellunderway. Preliminary findings in the area of prioritycrash configurations, injuries and injury mechanismshave already been identified.

It is expected that through a comprehensive testschedule, this research will lead to a betterunderstanding of occupant biomechanics and injury

mechanisms during far-side collisions. Currentdummy bio-fidelity can then be assessed andimproved, appropriate far-side test measuresdeveloped, and recommendation for regulationsmade. It is anticipated that application of these testprocedures will allow the development of innovativeand world-leading far-side countermeasures that willultimately improve vehicle occupant safety.

Project partners are: Monash University AccidentResearch Centre, George Washington University(NCAC), Virginia Medical College of Wisconsin,Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,Autoliv AB, Sweden, Holden Innovation, Melbourne,and Dept. Transport and Regional Services, Canberra.

NHMRC Exercise for Independent LivingProjectIn 2005, a team of investigators led by Dr. Lesley Daywere awarded a three-year NHMRC project grant of$869,450 to investigate the impact of exercise indelaying disability and preventing falls among olderpeople. This study addresses the issue of disabilityamong our ageing population. Preservation of functionamong our older citizens, and their capacity to liveindependently, is of significant social, public healthand economic benefit. The aims of this study are to:

(1) test the efficacy of exercise in delaying disabilityamong older people, prior to its onset;

(2) investigate the mechanisms by which exerciseintervenes in the disability pathway; and

(3) determine the cost-benefits of exercise for olderpeople. The study will recruit 500 people over70 and randomly assign them to receive one oftwo exercise programs: “Flex and Move” (aflexibility and relaxation program), or “Focusand Flow” (consisting primarily of Tai Chimoves) for 48 weeks.

The groups will then be compared to see if there isany difference in the development of disability as well

TAC Advanced Driving Simulator


as a range of functional outcomes such as strength,balance, depression, arthritic symptoms, lifesatisfaction, and falls.

This is the first study worldwide to test the impact ofany exercise program on delaying the manifestation ofdisability among older people. This internationallysignificant study will also contribute to understandingthe mechanisms by which disability develops, andcreate the valuable opportunity for continuing researchon attrition of effect and long-term adherence toexercise programs.

The project is funded by the National Health andMedical Research Council, and has the support ofAustralian Retirement Communities and ArthritisVictoria. MUARC will collaborate with the NationalAgeing Research Institute, University of WesternAustralia, Monash Institute for Health ServicesResearch and Monash University Centre for HealthEconomics

Auto CRC

In 2005, a consortium of university, industry andCSIRO partners was awarded a seven year grant forthe establishment of the Cooperative Research Centrefor Advanced Automotive Technology to provide anational strategic research capacity for the Australianautomotive industry. Professor Brian Fildes wasinstrumental in securing a substantial role for MUARC.The inaugural program of research projects is HumanMachine Interface (HMI) and Driver Distraction andOccupant Protection.

HMI and Driver DistractionAs vehicles become more complex and with greateruse of in-vehicle information systems, the ability fordrivers to interact with these systems and safely carryout the primary tasks of driving will be highlydependent on the system’s ergonomics.

Older and younger drivers have different needs andways of interacting with the in-vehicle systems andexternal environment.

There are no industry guidelines or agreed standardsin Australia in this area.

Understanding the nature and issues involved inuseability and driver distraction is essential forminimising complexity and driver distraction fromthese systems.

This project encompasses theoretical andexperimental studies of cognitive workload and driverdistractions for a range of driver ages and drivingconditions (real and simulated), and the developmentof reports, guidelines and standards in this area.

Project partners are Cooperative Research Centre forAdvanced Automotive Technology Ltd, Monash

University, GM Holden Ltd and GM Global TechnologyOperations Inc and Swinburne University ofTechnology.

Occupant ProtectionInvestigate and report the current state of the safetyresearch communities’ understanding of theopportunities for improved safety in the followingareas:

Child Safety – opportunities for rigid lower anchorsystems to improve frontal and side impactperformance. Pursue advances in Booster design.Investigate issues relating to scaling of Human BodyModels to make them suitable for Child SafetyResearch.

Brain Injury modelling – validation of existing state ofthe art brain models against available crashreconstruction case data. Investigation ofopportunities for reduced Brain Injuries in RolloverCollisions.

Pedestrian Harm Reduction – influence of vehicleshape parameters in attenuating head impactenergies in pedestrian collisions with vehicles andassessment of pedestrian models.

Melanie Franklyn and Anthony Clark investigate acrash site


Harm Analysis – opportunities for reduced harm fromside impacts. Investigate mild brain injuries resultingfrom vehicle collisions.

Recommend direction for future project developmentin the areas of advanced occupant restraints. Identifypriorities, and conduct research in those areas to buildknowledge and improve and developcountermeasures that increase occupant protection.

Project partners are Cooperative Research Centre forAdvanced Automotive Technology Ltd, MonashUniversity and GM Holden Ltd and GM GlobalTechnology Operations.

ARC Vision Impairment and Fitness to DriveA three-year collaborative research program (2005-2007), funded through the Australian ResearchCouncil Linkage Grants Scheme, seeks to identify theway in which specific vision conditions affect drivingperformance. The study will examine the effects ofvisual field loss on drivers’ ability to monitorinformation, allocate attention and minimise the effectof distractions. Outcomes of the study will enable thedevelopment of evidence-based guidelines forassessing vision for driving and effectivecountermeasures to enhance mobility and crash risk.

The project will bring together researchers fromMUARC and other universities and industry partnersincluding the University of Iowa Division ofNeuroergenomics, Victorian Institute of ForensicMedicine (VIFM), Centre for Eye Research Australia,(CERA), GM Holden Limited, VicRoads, Road SafetyTrust, New Zealand, Queensland University ofTechnology (QUT), the Swedish Road Administration(SRA) and Carl Zeiss Pty Ltd.

The project has three parts: Phase 1 will addresscurrent practices regarding assessment of visionconditions in Australian licensing jurisdictions. Phase 2will comprise a series of driving simulator experimentsto identify and describe the characteristics of drivingperformance and visual scanning patterns in peoplewith visual field loss (from glaucoma, maculardegeneration and other eye conditions). Theseexperiments will use advanced driving simulators andstate-of-the-art eye and head tracking technology.Phase 3 will identify selected interventions andevaluate their feasibility and efficacy to enhance safetyof drivers with visual field loss. Potentialcountermeasures may include: driver training; in-vehicle technologies such as early hazard warningsystems; and solutions that focus on the roadinfrastructure.

Austroads Road Safety HandbookDuring 2005 the fourth volume of the Handbook wasdrafted, consisting of a series of papers coveringpolicy and research issues associated with the newAustroads Safe System approach to road safety. Inaddition, work continued on updating a selection ofpapers previously published in Volumes 1 to 3.

Austroads Project: Assessing Responsibilityfor Older Drivers’ CrashesThis project, which investigated the extent to whicholder drivers were responsible for their involvement infatal and other crashes, was concluded and a reportpublished.

Austroads Project: Balance Between HarmReduction and Mobility in Setting SpeedLimitsThe first stage of this project reported on the variousapproaches to setting speed limits in use around theworld and proposed an alternative model based onharm reduction principles. A report was subsequentlypublished. Work is proceeding on Stage 2 of theproject, which entails both refinement of the speedsetting model and speed trials in at least onejurisdiction.

ARC Linkage Grant: Architectural GlassRelated InjuryAn ARC linkage grant was awarded to ProfessorOzanne-Smith and Dr. Sherrard to study “Architecturalglass related injury: implications for improving publicsafety”. The grant is for two years with PilkingtonGlass and the Victorian Building Commission asindustry partners. The immediate benefit of the projectis information for government, the building andfurniture industries, regulators, and the community tounderpin interventions to prevent architectural andfurniture glass injury. Project partners are PilkingtonGlass and the Victorian Building Commission.


VicRoads Project: SpeedAs part of its review of speed zoning practices,VicRoads’ Speed Limits Advisory Group contractedMUARC to review speed setting practices around theworld, with a specific focus on school zones, shoppingstrips and country town centres. A report wassubsequently prepared and is currently before theGroup.

ASFA Project: Aviation SafetyThe Aviation Safety Foundation of Australia (ASFA)has engaged MUARC to conduct a project that willimprove data systems for general aviation, and thusimprove safety. This is being achieved through thedevelopment of a new standardised insurance claimform, and the development of new investigativetechniques for insurer-appointed assessors. Thesenew investigative techniques are focused on theidentification of systemic errors and are founded in theaviation safety domain. The final product will be anaviation safety database, and the data it provides willinform later stages of the injury prevention process viathe development, implementation and evaluation ofcountermeasures aimed at improving general aviationsafety.

Driver DistractionThere is converging evidence that driver distraction isa significant contributing factor in road crashes. Duringthe year MUARC consolidated its position asAustralia’s leading research organisation in this area.It undertook fundamental research to investigate theeffects on driving performance and safety of driverinteractions with new technologies, undertook riskaudits for the government and private sector toestablish the potential for distraction to compromisedriver safety in vehicle fleets, prepared and spoke to asubmission prepared for the Victorian Road SafetyParliamentary Committee Inquiry on Driver Distractionand contributed to the develop of internationalstandards to limit distraction in car cockpits.

Joint Project, NRMA-ACT Road Safety Trust,VicRoads and VMAC: Driver TrainingTraditional approaches to driver training focus on theyoung novice driver. Young passengers, however, areknown to have a profound influence on driver safetyand, through the driver, on their own safety. There ispotential to change the current perception of theyoung passenger as a “back seat driver” into that of a“co-pilot” - and to train young drivers and passengersto operate as a team to enhance their safety. Thisproject is the first in the world to explore CrewResource Management (CRM) Training, used to trainaviation aircrew, as a form of training for young driversand passengers. Phases 1 and 2 have explored theapplicability of this form of training to young driversand passengers. Phase 3, which commenced during

the year, will culminate in the development andevaluation of a CRM training module to be trialed inthe ACT. Research also commenced into optimalways to train hazard perception skills amongmotorcycle riders.

ANCIS (the Australian National Crash In-Depth Study)ANCIS is a collaborative research project comprisingMonash University, the Australian automobilemanufacturers, Federal and State GovernmentTransport and insurance agencies, a vehicle partssupplier and motoring clubs in Victoria and NSW. Itsobjective is to provide an in-depth analysis of asample of vehicle crashes for use in improving vehiclecrashworthiness and better understanding thecontributing factors to crash involvement.

ANCIS is unique in that it has achieved two cruciallyimportant changes in the manner with which roadsafety is dealt with in Australia. It has broughttogether leading Australian road safety researchersand road safety related Government and industrybodies. Further, the in-depth data collected, based ona multi-causal approach to crashes, has broadenedthe scope and understanding of crash-related areas,enabling ANCIS partners to work together to achievethe goals set out in the National Road Safety Strategy.This research and the collaboration between partnersis evidence of the leading role that Australia playsinternationally in innovative approaches and solutionsto road safety issues. Also of great importance, andonly now emerging, is the role that ANCIS is playing inpaving the way for new collaborative research, achange that is instrumental in the adoption of noveland effective road safety initiatives.

The ANCIS study is a valuable adjunct to massdatabases in that it provides much more detail on thecause and severity of the crash, as well as the injuriessustained by the vehicle occupants. These data arerich in terms of the amount of detail contained in eachcase and are provided to throw new light on thecrashworthiness of the vehicles and aspects of theircrash involvement. Innovative countermeasures toreduce crashes and injuries are suggested from thesefindings.

Project partners: Australian Transport Safety Bureau,Dept. of Transport and Regional Services, RoyalAutomobile Club of Victoria Ltd, Autoliv Australia,Roads & Traffic Authority (NSW), Ford MotorCompany Australia Ltd, Transport AccidentCommission (TAC) (Vic.), Holden Ltd, Toyota MotorCorporation, Department of Infrastructure, Energy &Resources (Tasmania), VicRoads, Motor AccidentsAuthority of NSW, National Roads and Motorists’Association Ltd (trading as NRMA Motoring &Services), Insurance Australia Group (IAG), MitsubishiMotors Australia Ltd, Australian AutomobileAssociation (AAA) and Federal Chamber ofAutomotive Industries.


Industry & Government: Rural SafetyIn 2005, efforts continued to focus on increasing therecruitment rates of participants into two large studies;the Farm Injury Risk among Men study, and theassociated in-depth investigations of factorsassociated with farm machinery injury. Recruitment forboth these studies is anticipated to continue until mid2006, with final results available at the end of 2006. Aninvestigation of the potential for technology to assistwith managing child safety on farms was completed in2005. The technical and practical feasibility of alarmsystems to alert parents when young children wanderaway from the farmhouse was established. It appearsthat there are a number of products already on themarket, which could be adapted for this purpose. Thenext stage would be testing these products in theagricultural environment to determine if theestablished specifications would be met.

Project collaborators/partners: NHMRC, University ofAlberta Canada, Monash University Department ofEpidemiology & Preventive Medicine, Rural IndustriesResearch and Development Corporation, Institute ofAgricultural Rural and Environmental Health,University of Saskatchewan, Canada (funded by theHealth Research Council of Canada) and MUARC’sstrategic development program.

NRMA-ACT Road Safety Trust: Experience andConfidence Vital for Older Women Drivers“Three times more crashes on our roads because ofan increase in older women drivers” said the HeraldSun headline in January 2005.

“This is not so,” says Dr. Jennifer Oxley, the manger ofa study that lead to the story behind the headlines.“But some older women have specific problems thataffect their driving.”

This project was funded by the NRMA-ACT RoadSafety Trust and supported by COTA (ACT). Driving isa fundamentally important part of today’s society.While it is important for people to maintain theirmobility and keep driving for as long as possible, it isalso important to ensure that older drivers remain safedrivers by understanding the factors that maycontribute to crash risk.

MUARC researchers investigated the issuessurrounding the safety and mobility of older femaledrivers and identified the impacts of drivingexperience, driving practices, driving confidence,functional performance and health-related factors oncrash risk.

The study reported that drivers with reduced functionalskills and multiple medical conditions were most atrisk of crashing, possibly due to the effect of functionallimitations on the skills necessary for drivingperformance but also due to the effects on adoption ofcompensatory strategies. Low confidence, difficulty in

some driving situations, and principal driver statuswere also related to increased risk of crashinvolvement.

The research also identified a number of measuresaimed at maintaining the safe mobility of older femaledrivers including education materials for older driverson ways to reduce crash risk and maintain mobility(e.g., adoption of safe driving behaviours),improvements to licensing procedures by appropriateidentification of ‘at-risk’ drivers by licensing authorities,and improvements to the road environment to providea safer transport system. For further information, thefull report can be found at http://www.monash.edu.au/muarc.

VicRoads: The Enhanced Crash Information(ECI) ProjectIn 2001 the Victorian government released its “arrive-alive!” road safety strategy that targets a 20%reduction in deaths and serious injuries by 2007. Oneof the key initiatives outlined in the strategy documentis the collection of more detailed crash data and thedissemination of these data to key road safetypractitioners to arrive at a range of innovative andnovel road safety solutions for Victoria.

The Enhanced Crash Investigation (ECI) projectinvolves the in-depth investigation of 81 serious injurycrashes and presentation of the findings in a de-identified format to multi-disciplinary Regional CaseReview Panels.

The project was devised to serve as both a means ofcollecting more detailed information on critical crashtypes as well as an educational tool. It is hoped thatfrom their participation panel members will gain amore holistic view of road safety, and road trauma andits consequences. A subsidiary objective is thatthrough an enhanced understanding of all facets ofcrash occurrence, issues affecting road safetyregionally can be dealt with more effectively and novelsolutions to local crash problems can be found.

It is still early days to assess what the outcomes of theproject. By its completion, however, these should


include: infrastructural improvements at a number ofcrash locations to help prevent future crashes, adeeper understanding of the key factors leading tovehicle crashes in Victoria and the issues which needto be tackled in order to reduce the incidence ofserious injury crashes, a more holistic understandingof road trauma and its consequences amongstpanellists, which in time seems likely to trickle downthrough their organisations and development of manynew collaborations between stakeholderorganisations.

VicHealth/DHS: Victorian Injury Surveillanceand Applied Research (VISAR)In 2005, responsibility for funding VISAR shifted fromVicHealth to the Department of Human Services(DHS). VISAR collects and holds Victorian injurysurveillance data on three datasets (ABS Death UnitRecord File, Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset andthe Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset). Data areanalysed and disseminated in order to: identify anddescribe injury issues and problems; monitor trendsand outcomes; identify intervention points andpotential countermeasures to injury; support planningand evaluation of preventive strategies andinterventions; and generate research hypotheses.

Data and information disseminationThe three core data and information disseminationfunctions undertaken by VISAR are the production ofthe VISAR publication Hazard (three editions peryear), the information request service and the VISARwebsite.

The three issues of Hazard in 2005 were: Preventinghome fall injuries: Structural and design issues andsolutions (Summer 2005 edition); Unintentionalasphyxia (choking, suffocation and strangling) inchildren aged 0-14 years (Winter 2005 edition); andConsumer product-related injury (1): Playgroundequipment and trampolines (Spring 2005 edition).

The hard copy of Hazard was distributed to more than1,300 Victorian (69%), interstate (19%) and overseas(12%) subscribers. Accessing Hazard through theVISAR website is increasingly popular; more than160,600 hits were made to the pdf files of Hazard in2005. The most popular editions covered sportsinjury, intentional injury, consumer product relatedinjury, poisoning, burns and scalds, swimming poolsafety and home falls injury prevention.

In 2005, the most frequently requested topics were:elderly falls, playground and play equipment injury,DIY home maintenance injury, home injury, dog bite,sports injury, poisoning, nursery furniture andequipment injury, off road vehicle injury and localcommunity injury profiles.

Ms. Karen Ashby, part of the VISAR team whichproduces Hazard

VicHealth/MUARC: VISAR’s Applied ResearchProgramAlthough funding was not continued for this project in2005, the VISAR staff committed to complete work ontwo studies (both part funded by Sport and RecreationVictoria): Call back study of serious injury in non-eliteAustralian Rules football in seasons 2004 and 2005and A web-published database of sportscountermeasure reviews.

VISAR staff also took prime responsibility for severalrecreational boating safety projects, part of a programof work funded by Marine Safety Victoria and forcompleting two studies investigating barriers to thewearing of personal protective equipment byskateboarders and in-line skaters funded by theDepartment of Human Services Public Health GrantsScheme and the City of Melbourne.


An International Research Centre

MUARC is a key player in the gains in injury reductionin Australia and the world over the past two decades.A key reason for this success is our presenceoverseas and the number of significant projects,networks and collaborations the Centre has in Europe,North America, Asia and New Zealand. It is also aWHO Collaborating Centre with influence in the southeast Asian and western Pacific areas. Importantly,Monash University also has existing infrastructure inMalaysia, South Africa, Italy and England, whichallows the Centre to further extend its research on theinternational arena. The Centre will continue toengage and develop its counterparts in thesecountries and initiate the development of injuryprevention initiatives.

The Centre’s aim is to maintain and increase itsinfluence on the international stage.

A sample of MUARC’s international projects, networksand collaborations are detailed below.

International Workshop on DrowningPrevention in China

MUARC joined with the Chinese Centres for DiseaseControl and United Nations agencies, WHO andUNICEF, to conduct an International Workshop onDrowning Prevention in China on Nov 24—25 inBeijing. The workshop was the first formal function ofMUARC’s WHO Collaborating Centre for Violence,Injuries and Disabilities. The highly successfulworkshop was attended by 55 international andChinese participants, and provided a world firstopportunity for a meeting of major players to discussthe prevention of drowning in a developing country.

International projects, collaborations and networks


The Monash University North Asia Group was theprincipal funder. A high profile opening includingspeeches by the WHO Country Representative, DrHenk Bekedam, the UNICEF Country Representative,Dr Christian Voumard, the Deputy Director ChinaCentres for Disease Control, Dr Hou Peisen, MinisterGraham Fletcher, Deputy Australian Ambassador andProfessor Joan Ozanne-Smith. Joan and CarolynStaines also presented papers, together with Chineseand other international researchers.

The workshop provided an opportunity for invited keypeople and agencies to explore the nature andmagnitude of the drowning problem, review globaldrowning prevention successes and discuss astrategic approach to drowning prevention in China.The China Swimming Association and Olympic goldmedallist Ms Qian Hong, contributed a swimmingteaching and elite sports perspective, while theInternational Life Saving Federation, the Alliance forSafe Children and others presented a water safetyperspective.

Speed Camera Use Internationally

Speeding is estimated to be a factor in about one-thirdof all fatal crashes occurring in the United States andis a significant contributor to road trauma in otherjurisdictions. Research has shown that the use ofspeed cameras reduces motor vehicle speeds and theincidence of crashes, however speed cameras havebeen controversial wherever used. In collaborationwith researchers from the US and UK, the Centre hasexamined the development of camera programs inVictoria and Britain and detailed the types ofcontroversies that have arisen, the techniques used toaddress them, and what North America can learn fromthis experience.

This research was funded by the Insurance Institutefor Highway Safety.

Trends in the crashworthiness of the NZvehicle fleet

A principal focus of previous MUARC vehicle safetyresearch has been to track historical improvements inthe average crashworthiness of the Australian vehiclefleet by year of manufacture since 1964. NewMUARC research has been able to quantify trends inthe crashworthiness of the New Zealand vehicle fleetusing a similar methodology. The New Zealand andAustralian vehicle fleets differ significantly in their mixof vehicle makes and models as well as the standardsthey were manufactured to meet. In particular, NewZealand has a strong program of importing usedvehicles into New Zealand (mainly from Japan) withthese vehicles currently representing approximatelytwo-thirds of newly registered light vehicles. Theresults of the research show that the level of absolutecrashworthiness and trends on a year of manufacturebasis were similar for used imports and for vehicles

sold new in New Zealand. However, the absolutelevels of crashworthiness and improvements by yearof first registration for the imported used vehiclesoccurred some six years after those for new vehicles,a lag equivalent to the average age of the usedimported vehicles over the study period. Overallduring the study period (1964-2002), there was astatistically significant 50% improvement in theaverage crashworthiness of New Zealand lightpassenger vehicles with the majority of thisimprovement occurring between 1983 and 2002.

This research was funded by the Used Car SafetyRatings Committee.

Four-wheel drive vehicle crash involvementpatterns - Australia and New Zealand

This project, funded by the RACV, aimed to assessthe nature and impact of four-wheel drive (4WD)vehicle crash patterns on Australian and New Zealandroads. Previous MUARC analysis of crashworthinesshas shown that 4WD drivers have a relatively low riskof serious injury when involved in crash types such ashead-on collisions. However, 4WD vehicles areconsiderably overrepresented in rollover crashes andare relatively aggressive vehicles, which are morelikely to kill or injure car drivers when in a head-oncollision. This study found that, despite theseshortcomings, there were a number of mitigatingcriteria in favour of 4WDs as a passenger vehicle,Firstly, despite the increasing size of the 4WD fleet,there did not appear to be a concomitant growingthreat to car drivers. The reasons for this may berelated to changes in the way that 4WDs are beingused, and possibly to the growing number of smaller4WDs in the fleet, gradually replacing the moreaggressive large 4WDs. Analysis of trends in 4WDcrash patterns showed that crash-involved driverswere tending to be less young and more female andthat the crashes were becoming more urban: drivergroups and locations that tend to have lower and lessserious crash involvements.

Projecting passive safety effects of the NewZealand light vehicle fleet

The passive safety features of a motor vehicle consistof built-in safety features that protect the vehicleoccupants from harm in the event that the vehiclecrashes. As part of a road safety target-settingprocess in 2000, NZ road safety targets were set for areduction in social cost of 15.5% associated withpassive safety features of the light vehicle fleet by2010. Since that target was set, MUARC producednew estimates of crashworthiness, allowing a moreaccurate projection of social cost reductions. Thisstudy developed a methodology for projectingchanges in casualty rates associated with passivesafety features, including the effects of two potentialinterventions: restrictions on cars allowed to be


imported into New Zealand and restriction ofgovernment fleet vehicles to those with superiorcrashworthiness.

The EU - Safety Rating Advisory Committee(SARAC)

A European Union project investigating criteria for thesafety assessment of cars based on real worldcrashes. Professor Brian Fildes, Dr. Max Cameronand several Centre staff are involved in a suite ofprojects, which have been ongoing since the mid1990s and which are due for completion in March2006.

Intelligent Transport Systems - International

The Centre has established itself as the leadingAustralian organisation in this area, and has continuedto forge collaborative links with ITS-related workinggroups for international agencies such as INRETS, theEuropean Commission, the International Workinggroup on Speed Control and the Japanese WorldwidePlatform for Safe Speed Initiatives.

Dr Mike Regan and his research group haveaffiliations with the several European Committees -European Commission eSafety Working Group onHuman Machine Interface (HMI), EuropeanCommission eSafety Working group on InternationalCooperation and the International Working Group onSpeed Control (Europe)

In addition, Dr Regan and his group has networks withmore than 30 human factors researchers in theEuropean automotive industry (eg BMW, Volvo) and inacademia (eg BAST Germany, TRL, UK).

The French National Institute of Transportand Safety Research (INRETS)

Dr. Cameron was invited to INRETS to compare anddocument the diverse modes of speed camera use inAustralia, France, Britain and New Zealand, with theaim to evaluate the most effective in terms of reducingcrashes and changing driver behaviour. He spent amonth in Paris in October 2005. A delegation fromINRETS visited the Centre in late 2005 to explorepossible collaborative efforts in the 7th EuropeanFramework Program.

Traffic Accident Causation in Europe (TRACE)

MUARC’s Chair of Road Safety, Professor BrianFildes, is an adviser and participates in workinggroups for the European Union project, run by theLaboratory of Accidentology and Biomechanics inParis, as a sub-contractor to LAB.

MUARC and the United States

The Centre has two large ARC Linkage programs infar side protection and driver vision with projectpartners from the USA, Australia and New Zealand.

Professor Brian Fildes is also working on pedestriancollaborative research with Medical University ofHannover, Chalmers University in Sweden, WayneState University in Detroit, Holden and Toyota and ahead injury research program with Wayne StateUniversity, Detroit and Holden Innovation.

International Forum of International TrafficSafety (INFATS)

Professor Brian Fildes was a member of the ScientificProgram Committee and delivered a keynote addressto the International Forum of International TrafficSafety (INFATS) conference in China. This alsoestablished links in vehicle safety research with HunanUniversity in Changsha, province.

WHO Consultancy in Vietnam - Da Nang andHanoi

Professor Joan Ozanne-Smith undertook the secondstage of a two stage consultancy in Vietnam on injurysurveillance and injury prevention strategic planning.Joan’s workshop presentations in Da Nang included:‘Update on international injury surveillance systemsand injury prevention’; ‘Australian injury surveillancedata systems: development of interventions forchildhood injury prevention’; and ‘Establishing injurysurveillance systems: how to overcome difficulties’.

WHO/UNICEF World Report on Child andAdolescent Injuries

Child injuries are a global public health problem.According to WHO Global Burden of Disease data, in2002, more than 700,000 children under 15 were killedby an injury. Injuries are the leading cause of death forchildren after their first birthday. There is also highmorbidity associated with childhood injuries: for everyinjured child who dies, there are several thousandchildren who live with varying degrees of disability.

In March 2005 WHO held a consultation meeting towhich Professor Joan Ozanne-Smith was invited todiscuss the development of a WHO strategy for childand adolescent injury prevention (a global call to actionwas launched in November 2005). At this meeting,participants unanimously agreed that a World Report,similar to those developed for road traffic injuryprevention and violence and health, would be animportant catalyst to raise awareness about this publichealth issue. Like the world reports before, thisdocument could lead to the passing of a World HealthAssembly resolution on child injury prevention andthereby encourage Member States to implement astrategy and national plans of action to address thisgrowing problem.


Professor Ozanne-Smith was subsequently appointedto the Editorial Committee for the World Report onChild and Adolescent Injury Prevention which met forthe first formal meeting in Geneva in November. Theeditors will oversee the production of the report fromconceptualisation and development to launch.

Consultancy for World Health Organisation inMongolia

Karen Ashby undertook a second short-termconsultancy in Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia, fromSeptember 26 to October 9 2005, funded by theWestern Pacific Regional Office of the World HealthOrganisation. Her consultancy involved reviewingprogress made towards the implementation of a12-month trial of an injury surveillance collection at theNational Traumatological and Orthopaedic TeachingHospital (NTOTH) in Ulaan Baatar, supervision of anintersectoral workshop designed to strengthenimplementation of National Injury Program in ruralMongolia, and provision of training sessions on injurysurveillance, violence and measuring disease andhealth.

Swedish National Road Administration

MUARC has been involved in several road safetyprojects with the SNRA, including one that led to theintroduction into law of compulsory helmet wearing forbicyclists in Sweden.

MUARC has completed (under contract) severalliterature reviews for the SNRA and has placed staffthere on short term assignments to assist with theknowledge transfer. MUARC regularly has SNRA staff“out posted” to Melbourne for collaborative efforts.

Beyond NCAP (New Car Assessment Program)

Euro NCAP assesses new vehicles forcrashworthiness. Professor Fildes has been consulted

Dr Nasalmaa, Public Health Officer for InjuryPrevnetion NTOTH and Karen Ashby outside

a Ger, Chinggis Khann Park, Ulaan Baatar,Mongolia

on the new project - Beyond NCAP – which isinvestigating ways to further improve the ratingsystem. As yet we have no formal contractual role.

Monash University, UAEU and GM-Holden

Monash University signed a Memorandum ofUnderstanding with the United Arab EmiratesUniversity (UAEU) on 15 March 2004 for an initial lifeof five years. While the MoU is general in itsexpression of interest for co-operation, Monash alsohas a specific “Data Collection Services Agreement”with the UAEU. This Agreement is a fixed price, three-year contract for the UAEU to collect data from asample of road crashes involving GM-Holden vehiclemodels in the Al Ain region of the UAE.

MUARC has trained the UAEU staff in the appropriatecrash investigation methods and provides on-goingtraining, data quality control and data interpretation. Inorder to discharge the contract the UAEU created theResearch Centre for Transportation and Traffic Safety.

This Centre is loosely modelled on MUARC and reportsdirectly to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (ResearchAffairs). It is clearly the intent of the UAEU to developthe Centre beyond this initial research contract.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation andDevelopment (OECD)

Professor Ian Johnston is working with the OECDgroup on “Achieving Ambitious Road Safety Targets”in Paris; at present they are examining models of howto get safety policy/practice more effective.

The United States

Professor Johnston was commissioned by the USGovernment to describe how Victoria has succeededin reducing death and serious injury on the roads andto prepare a set of guidelines for US States toconsider adopting. The report was circulated widelythroughout the US in late 2005.


Every year the Centre welcomes academic andindustry guests from around the world. These visitsprovide valuable collaboration opportunties. Some ofthose who visited in 2005 are detailed below.

In February, Jiangsu Provincial Center for DiseaseControl and Prevention, China (Director, Professor HuXiaoshu and Deputy Directors, Dr. Wu Ming and Dr.Wang Peihua) met with Professor Joan Ozanne-Smithand Virginia Routley in Melbourne to discusscollaborative programmes between MUARC and theNational Centre for Non Communicable Disease(NCNCD). Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu is one of twosites for Virginia’s PhD project on seat belt wearingrates in China. Jiangsu is the sister province ofVictoria, with a population of 73 million. Professor Huhas since been promoted to the equivalent role of ViceMinister for Health in Jiangsu Province.

The Centre hosted a group of visitors from Japan fortwo days in April. Dr. Yamanaka is an emergencymedicine paediatrician looking to establish a Japanesechild injury surveillance system. Drs Nishida andMotomura from the National Institute of AdvancedIndustrial Science and Technology (AIST) discussedthe prospect of a joint project, marrying VISAR datawith software they have developed to model childinjury scenarios.

A delegation from Zheijang province, China, had avery successful visit to the Centre in July and wasexposed to a cross section of injury preventioninitiatives, with a focus on seat belts. In addition thedelegation visited the TAC, the simulator, VictoriaPolice, Child Safety Centre and Poisons InformationCentre.

Visitors

Left to Right: Mr Zhang Heping,Dr Wang Jianyu, Ian Johnston,Dr Liu Liqun, Virginia Routley,Dr Yu Min, Joan Ozanne-Smith,Dr Chen La.

The delegation fromZheijang province,China, was exposedto a cross section ofinjury preventioninitiatives


The visitors were: Dr. Liqun Liu, Zheijian ProvincialCentre for Disease Control & Prevention

Dr. Jiangyue Wang, Zhoushan Centre for DiseaseControl & Prevention

Dr. Min Yu, Division of Noncommunicable DiseaseControl & Prevention

Dr. Heping Zhang, Transport Police Division, Bureauof Public Security of Putou District

Dr. La Chen, Health Bureau of Putuo District

Collaboration on the Holden Research ProgramAssociate Professor Jikuang Yang, ChalmersUniversity of Technology

Participation in the ARC Occupant Protection inFar Side Crashes Collaborative Partners projectmeetingDr. Joel Stitzel, Wake Forest Center for InjuryBiomechanics, Virginia Tech

Dr. Brian Stemper, Medical College of Wisconsin

Professor Frank Pintar, Medical College of Wisconsin

Dr. Stephen Rouhana, Ford Research & AdvancedEngineering

Professor Ken Digges, George Washington University

Dr. Ola Bostrom, Autoliv Development

Associate Professor Clay Gabler, Department ofMechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech.

Dr. Richard Morgan, National Crash Analysis Center,George Washington University

Dr. Jeffrey Augenstein, William Lehman InjuryResearch Center

Mr. Craig Newland, Commonwealth Department ofTransport & Regional Services

Dr. Tom Gibson, Human Impact Engineering

Dr. Laurie Spark, Holden Innovation

Mr. Stu Smith, Holden Innovation

Professor King Yang, Bioengineering Center, WayneState University

Participated in the ARC Vision & DrivingCollaborative Partners Project MeetingDr. Matthew Rizzo, University of Iowa

Professor Joanne Wood, Queensland University ofTechnology

Attended discussions on the prevention oftraumatic brain injury and MUARC seminar oncurrent research activities of CDCMr. Wes Rutland-Brown, Centre for Disease Control &Prevention (CDC)

From left: Prof. Brian Fildes, UAEU Vice-ChancellorDr Hadef Bin Jouan Al-Dhahiri and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Dr Maitha Al-ShamsiProf. Stephen Parker and Prof. Ian Johnston

From left: Dr Chen La, Prof. Joan Ozanne-Smith, Dr.Wang Jianyu, Dr. Liu Liqun, Ms Virginia Routley(front), Dr. Yu Min and Mr. Zhang Heping

Attended MUARC to contribute to the in-depthmachinery investigation project associated withthe FIRM studyMr. Eric Hallam, Director, Agricultural Health & SafetyProgram, Cornell University, Wisconsin

Dr. Mark Purschwitz, Research Engineer, NationalFarm Medicine Center, Wisconsin

Attended training for ANCIS recruitmentMs Tanya Critchlow, Westmead Hospital, Sydney

Visitors from the UAE met with MUARC staff


The media constantly calls on MUARC researchers fortheir expertise, seeking comment on issues fromdriver distraction and aviation safety to childhoodpoisonings and the prevention of falls in the elderly.

Centre experts answered hundreds of requests frommedia organisations around the world in 2005 andmore than 200 items and articles quoting centreresearchers were published or broadcast innewspapers, magazines, and on radio and televisionnews and current affairs programs throughoutAustralia and internationally.

The centre’s director, Professor Ian Johnston, wasmost in demand from the media, and commentedfrequently on issues including young drivers, speedcameras, and drink driving.

Professor Johnston again featured in the speedcampaign television commercials originally made in2002 by the Transport Accident Commission. In 2005,the commercial continued to air and is now broadcastthroughout Australia (except the Northern Territory)and in New Zealand.

In the commercial, Professor Johnston compared twocars travelling at 60 km/h and 65 km/h and the driver’sreaction time and stopping distances. The tagline wasdifferent in each jurisdiction – for example, ‘Speeding.What’s Your Excuse?’ in South Australia.

Professor Johnston also wrote an opinion piece forMonash University’s flagship publication, MonashMagazine, explaining why speed management is socontroversial – yet so vital.

In the Public Eye

Much of the centre’s research is reported through themass media, often in partnership. Such publicitymeans that the research can and does influencepractice directly. A sample of our activity in 2005 isdetailed below.

Professor Brian Fildes was quoted regularly onvarious matters, such as speeding, older drivers,vehicle safety, and driveway safety, while Dr. MikeRegan was in demand in the areas of driverdistraction, road rage, intelligent vehicle safetytechnologies, and training for young drivers. Dr. MaxCameron was also quoted on the issue of youngdrivers.

Bruce Corben spoke on speed, pedestrian safety androadside barriers, while Stuart Newstead discussedvehicle safety - often responding to questions about4WDs.

The media interviewed Dr. Jude Charlton on childrestraints and older drivers, while Dr. Narelle Haworthwas a regular contributor on motorcycle issues in thenews.

Among other media work, Professor Joan Ozanne-Smith Joan was interviewed by United Nations Radio(New York) regarding the Drowning PreventionWorkshop in Beijing. Her group, including KarenAshby, Lesley Day, and Erin Cassell regularlycommented on injury prevention issues includingplayground safety, choking and suffocation, do-it-yourself home maintenance injuries, drowning, andfarm safety.

In June MUARC hosted thelaunch of a WorkSafe

campaign highlighting thedangers of forklifts


Journalists came to MUARC in June to attend aWorkSafe Victoria launch of a campaign highlightingthe dangers of forklifts in workplaces. The WorkCoverMinister, Mr John Lenders, launched a manual calledReducing the Risk - Forklift Safety, based on MUARCresearch showing revealed forklifts had killed 54Victorians since 1985 and injured many more.

Mr Lenders’ visit coincided with the launch of a newOccupational Health and Safety Act, which came intoeffect on July 1. He said the new OHS Act aimed toreduced workplace deaths and injuries and ensure astrong economy for Victorian businesses.

A Japanese NHK documentary team visited MUARCin April to discuss injury prevention and the role ofinjury surveillance. The documentary was triggered bythe death of a child in a revolving door in Japan. Itwas shown on Japanese national TV.

MUARC media releases distributed during 2005through Monash University’s Media Communicationsoffice were:

February 2005 - Home is where the injuries are,says researchImproved home design and construction and tighterbuilding controls could lead to a significant drop inhome fall injuries, according to a new MonashUniversity Accident Research Centre report.

May 2005 - Survey seeks to shed light on oldermotorcyclistsThe Monash University Accident Research Centre(MUARC) is seeking motorcyclists aged over 25 toparticipate in a study on riding patterns, attitudes toriding and accident involvement patterns.

June 2005 - Collaboration raises baron forklift safetyThe dangers of forklifts in Victorianworkplaces are being highlighted in newindustry guidance material launched atMonash University today by WorkSafeVictoria.

June 2005 - Larger, heavier cars saferfor driversDrivers of larger or heavier cars are lesslikely to be injured or killed in a crashthan the drivers of smaller vehicles, astudy by researchers at MonashUniversity has found.

July 2005 - Overhaul motorcycletraining and licensing – reportAspiring motorcyclists should have tohold a full car licence before obtaining amotorbike licence, a report from theMonash University Accident ResearchCentre has recommended.

September 2005 - US farm machinerysafety experts touring country VictoriaTwo US experts in farm machinery safety will tourregional Victoria next week to investigate the state’sworld-leading model for tractor safety.

October 2005 - Can exercise delay disability in theover 70s?A world-first study by Monash University isinvestigating whether exercise can delay the onset, orslow the decline, of disability in older people.

December, 2005 - Keep on walking – but watch theroad, say researchersSome older pedestrians are at increased risk of deathor injury and need to adopt strategies to avoiddangerous situations, a new report by MonashUniversity researchers shows.

The media’s increasing demand for MUARC expertshas led to the centre seconding a media officer in2006 to take a pro-active role in ensuring aconsistent, positive message is sent about the centreand its important, expanding work.

MUARC’S web site

The Centre’s web site remains a major means ofcommunicating its research. The site received morethan 2.7 million hits during the year. Reports are nowpublished directly to the site in pdf format and freelyavailable - these pdf files received more than 240,000hits. Information is sorted by broad topic as well aschronologically. Information about our staff, ourannual report and generic information about theCentre are all of interest to our visitors. One of thesubjects which attracts the highest rate of interest isthe used car safety rating material. The Centre alsowelcomes feedback from visitors to the site andconstantly updates the available material.


Research Training and AcademicProgramResearch training is a vital link in the injury preventionchain – and a valuable component of theadvancement of knowledge and the development ofthe new leaders in the field of injury prevention.

The PhD program enriches the centre’s work andcontributes to the knowledge pool in Australia andthroughout the world. MUARC continues to providegraduate placements for high calibre students.

The PhD program continues to be a vibrantcomponent of the centre’s research portfolio. Thedoctoral program enriches the work of the centre andimportantly is building capacity in the injury researchfield for Australia and beyond.

The aim of the PhD program is to provide advancedmulti-disciplinary training in the research andprevention of accidents and injuries. Candidates arepursuing their studies through the centre, or throughrelevant Monash University departments with MUARCco-supervision. The study program is designed toexpand candidates’ expertise and paradigms beyondthat of their undergraduate discipline, in recognition ofthe multidisciplinary nature of injury preventionresearch.

In 2005, Dr. Mike Keall was awarded his PhD for histhesis ‘Estimation and analysis of driver crash risk’. Itdescribed a method for driver risk estimation whichwas applied to New Zealand data to produceestimates of driver risk under different conditions. Theresults are providing essential direction for thedevelopment of road safety initiatives and policy inNew Zealand.

We have continued to develop our supervisioncapacity in 2005, with five staff members completingthe Monash University Supervision Training Program.In 2005 the student body established a studentcommittee headed by their representative JessicaKillian and have established a system of regularstudent meetings where they give a short presentationon their PhD progress every two months.

Michael Keall presents a seminar on his research

Full-time PhD Candidates

Ben BrooksSupervisors: Professor Tom Triggs,Professor Ian Johnston and ProfessorTore Larsson

Title: ‘Culture and claims data: Buildingblocks for an OHS decision supportgroup’

Small businesses typically have limited workplaceinjury experience, resources and time to conducthealth and safety risk assessments or act on theresults of these assessments.

This project aims to develop an on-line tool to assistbusinesses in their risk decisions. Information tosupport the tool has been gathered from workers’compensation claims and ethnographic studies incommercial fishing and furniture manufacturing. Ifsmall businesses can use information in the databaseappropriately, this may reduce the frequency andseverity of work related injury. Ben is due to submit in2006. (Monash University Accident ResearchFoundation Peter Vulcan Scholarship)


Lyndal BugejaSupervisors: Professor Joan Ozanne-Smith and Mr. Graeme Johnstone(State Coroner of Victoria)

Title: ‘The role of coroners’recommendations in injury preventionpolicy and practice in Victoria’

Australian deaths from external causes are legallyrequired to be reported to the coroner forinvestigation. Since 1985, the Victorian Coroner’s Acthas allowed coroners to formulate recommendationsin relation to “matters of public health and safety”.

Without the term “prevention” in the Act, the coroner’srole in injury prevention is embryonic, driven mostly byindividual coroners. There are examples where thecoronial process has detected injury death trends, witheffective countermeasures subsequently recommendedand implemented. However, this process is ad hoc andits effectiveness is unquantified. This study aims toidentify factors that influence the implementation ofcoroners’ recommendations in Victoria. Improvementsin developing and implementing coroners’recommendations have the potential to contributesignificantly to injury prevention efforts.

Fiona ClaySupervisors: Professor Joan Ozanne-Smith and Ms. Wendy Watson

Title: ‘Predictors of return to work andongoing work disability following injury:12-month follow-up study’

Managing and treating injured peopleimpacts economically through direct treatment costsand lost work productivity. Despite resources forrehabilitation, long term injury work disability isincreasing, and there is little Australian research inthe field.

This study looks at a cohort of injured patients aged18 to 64 and examines the influence of work status,patient beliefs, demographic and clinical factors onwork outcome. So far, 170 patients have beenrecruited. A predictive model of return to work andongoing work disability will be developed and validatedinternally by assessing whether early time-points canpredict work status at later time-points and externallyby looking at whether it can discriminate betweendifferent health transitions and between people whodo and do not return to work. This study will potentiallyidentify people at risk of continuing work disability andmay lead to new treatment interventions.

A journal article “Private health insurance in a state-wide injured population” has been accepted to theAustralian Health review. (NHMRC scholarship, VICHealth scholarship)

Clay DouglasSupervisors: Professor Brian Fildes,Mr. Tom Gibson and Dr. Astrid Linder

Title: ‘Modelling far-side occupants inlateral and oblique impacts’

The cost and burden of injury fromside impact crashes is a growing

concern. And while research has focused onprotecting occupants on the struck or near-side of thevehicle, less attention has been paid to protectingoccupants on the non-struck or far-side.

Despite injuries to far-side occupants accounting forup to 40% of harm in real-world side impact crashes,countermeasures aimed at protecting far-sideoccupants do not currently exist internationally.

Generally, far-side occupants are left poorly restrainedby traditional three-point seatbelts equipped to modernvehicles. As a result, injuries to the head, thorax andupper and lower extremities are commonly sustainedas the occupant is thrown towards the point of impact.

An international research program was assembledinvolving many of the world’s experts in side impactprotection and biomechanics. Under the umbrella ofthis program exists a sub-task to better understandfar-side occupant biomechanics in lateral and obliqueconfigurations.

This thesis aims to complement this effort tounderstand the injury biomechanics through the use ofa human mathematical model. This human model willlater be used to evaluate levels of occupant protection,optimise potential countermeasure designs, andinvestigate the interaction between adjacently seatedoccupants in side impact. (Australian PostgraduateAward (Industry))

Jessica EdquistSupervisors: Professor Ian Johnston,Dr. Mike Regan and Dr. Tim Horberry

Title: ‘Driver distraction: The effects ofvisual clutter in the highwayenvironment‘

‘Visual clutter’ is often used as apotential problem in roadside environments, yetseldom defined. There are three suggested ways thatvisual clutter impacts on driving performance - byimpairing visual search (e.g. for a particular streetsign), by increasing driver workload, and by distractingdrivers (e.g. billboards).

This project is investigating what items can act asvisual clutter, what effect this clutter has on driving,and whether these effects are particularly severe forvulnerable groups, such as novice and elderly drivers.

The project first explored drivers’ definitions of visualclutter through focus groups and ratings of clutter invarious road scene photographs. At the end of 2005,


preparation was under way for a follow-up videoexperiment to check whether the results of the photostudy hold true in a moving environment. This secondstudy will also test whether there are differences ofvisual clutter noticed by novice, experienced and olderdrivers.

The results from the photograph and video studies willinform the design of an experiment using the drivingsimulator, to determine the effects of visual clutter ondriving performance.

The project is part of an ARC Linkage Grant studyentitled ‘A Human Factors Approach to the Design ofVisual Information in the Highway Environment’. Thegrant also covers two students at the University ofQueensland, and the industry partner is theDepartment of Main Roads, Queensland. (AustralianPostgraduate Award (Industry))

Richard FernandezSupervisors: Professor Joan Ozanne-Smith, Associate Professor RaphaelGrzebieta (Department of CivilEngineering), Associate ProfessorNigel Wreford (Department of Anatomyand Cell Biology) and Dr. Lesley Day

Title: ‘A novel approach to the prevention of hipfracture: Feasibility of a novel fracture-preventingdevice’

Hip fractures of the proximal femur are one of themost serious health problems facing the agedpopulation, so the development of the external hipprotector has potential for hip fracture-prevention. Butits effectiveness is limited by non-compliance.

This project is investigating the feasibility of animplanted hip fracture-preventing device to addresslimitations of the external hip protector. Such a devicewould function similarly to the external hip protector bycombining shunting fall energy to muscle and passiveattenuation.

A feasible site has been selected, and the rest of thestudy will focus on developing specifications of such adevice by investigating the anatomical variation ofmuscle and using dynamic impact loading to quantifythe energy attenuation properties of the relevantmuscles. Surgical considerations of such an implantare also under investigation.

Michael FitzharrisSupervisors: Professor Brian Fildes,Dr. Judith Charlton and ProfessorClaes Tingvall

Title: ‘The road to recovery: Copingwith the impact of traffic crashes onhealth’

The World Health Organisation currently ranks trafficcrashes as the ninth leading cause of disabilityglobally, and this is expected to increase to the thirdleading cause of disability by 2020. In Australia alone,approximately 22,000 people are admitted to hospitalannually, and for every fatality, another 15 areseriously injured and another 70 sustain minor injuriesin traffic crashes. This project seeks to examine howpeople admitted to hospital after being injured in atraffic crash recover over the first six-months post-accident, examining factors such as pain, depression,anxiety, daily living, return-to-work / study, and use ofhealth services. The major theoretical orientation willbe models of coping, such as Lazarus and Folkman’stransactional model of stress, the role of personalityand biopsychosocial models of health.

By the end of 2005, 68 patients admitted to The Alfred,Dandenong Hospital and Monash Medical Centre(Clayton) were recruited to the study, with 64completing the two-month post-discharge interviewand 62 completing the six-month interview. The patientsample consists of drivers, passengers, motorcyclists,pedestrians and cyclists. The project is expected to becompleted in mid-2006. (Monash GraduateScholarship; Monash University Accident ResearchFoundation Scholarship)

Phillip GouldSupervisors: Professor Tom Triggs,Dr. Max Cameron and Dr. FarshidVahid (Department of Business andEconomics)

Title: ‘Time series models of crashesand casualties’

The thesis combines research from a range ofsources, including Victorian, Japanese and Dutchaccident statistics. The project discusses a range ofsuitable time series methods to aid policy makers andother accident researchers to examine theeffectiveness of past actions and forecasts futureaccident rates.

The “Latent Risk Model” (LRM), developed by Phillipand researchers from Holland, has also been furtherexamined for the dissertation. Application of the modelto a range of road crash and social sciences variablessuggest that the LRM will have a range ofepidemiological and general risk applications.

Phillip has built a model to forecast hourly vehiclecounts on the Monash Freeway in Melbourne, which


provides for relatively accurate forecasting up to a fewweeks ahead. It is hoped this model can be combinedwith accident counts to develop a time seriesrelationship between traffic volume and accidentfrequency.

Phillip has had a productive year continuing hisresearch in France and Australia, and is expected tosubmit in early 2006. (Baseline program scholarship)

Jessica KillianSupervisor: Professor Joan Ozanne-Smith

Title: ‘The correlation between forensictoxicology and unnatural death’

Injuries are not only recognised as animportant public health problem, but

are also one of the major causes of death. Injuriesaccounted for 9 per cent of the world’s deaths and 12per cent of the world’s burden of disease in 2000.

It is known that drug and/or alcohol interactions causean increased risk of mortality, but the full extent of theinvolvement of drugs across the whole range of injurydeaths is mostly unknown.

The contribution of drugs and alcohol to unnaturaldeaths can now be described at a population levelthrough the Australian National Coroners InformationSystem (NCIS).

This study examines the presence and contribution ofalcohol and drugs in external cause deaths from 2000to 2004 in Victoria. So far, 5925 external cause deathshave been recorded, with more than 85% havingtoxicology documents attached. Preliminary resultsshow that alcohol was found in the highest proportionof cases (68.9%) followed by morphine (29.9%),codeine (28.9%), diazepam (28.7%), paracetamol(21.3%) and heroin (8.9%). The most frequentexternal causes were road traffic, suicide, drowning,and falls.

This study provides, for the first time in Australia, asystematic examination of the epidemiology of licit andillicit drugs in injury deaths by external cause. Theresults of this research could assist with a codingsystem of drugs and/or alcohol in external causedeaths, improving the NCIS as a tool for alcohol anddrug injury surveillance. (Australian PostgraduateAward)

Adam McKinnonSupervisors: Professor Joan Ozanne-Smith, Dr. Jenny Sherrard and Dr.Rodney Pope (Industry partner)

Title: ‘Optimising the utility of injurysurveillance systems for injury controlin active populations’

Promotion of physical activity is a key national healthpriority and a major focus for the Australian DefenceForce to achieve and maintain operational fitness.Unfortunately, these goals are associated with thenegative effects of increased injury occurrence andsubstantial related costs.

Civilian and military injury surveillance systems informinjury prevention priorities and interventions butresearch is required to maximise their performanceand utility. Previous research examining injurysurveillance systems has focused on the technicaldesign from an information collection viewpoint.

The current research aims to explore the potentialgains in system utility by designing injury surveillancesystems according to the needs of system users.Surveillance will be examined in three phases 1)systematic, ongoing collection 2) analysis andinterpretation and 3) information dissemination.Through determining user needs the research will alsobe able to determine the extent to which currentsystems meet user requirements, assess systemutility and reliability and develop recommendations forfuture systems development and improved userapplication. (Australian Postgraduate Award(Industry))

Eve MitsopoulosSupervisors: Professor Tom Triggs andDr. Mike Regan

Title: ‘Investigating the calibration skillof young novice drivers relative toexperienced drivers: Implications andrecommendations for the design of

intelligent transport systems to aid calibration in youngnovice drivers’

It has been proposed that deficiencies in calibrationability contribute to young novice drivers’ high crashinvolvement. Calibration in driving can be defined asthe ability to match task demands to one’s capabilitiesas a driver. Calibration requires accurate knowledge ofthe demands imposed by the traffic system, and ofone’s own capabilities to meet those demands.Moreover, calibration requires comparison betweencapabilities and demands, to determine whether thereis an undesirable mismatch which necessitatesappropriate modification to one’s driving behaviour.The goal in this process is to minimise the opportunityfor error.


Through continued research and development,intelligent transport systems (ITS) have gainedsupport as a way of realising significant road safetybenefits. Further, particular groups of high risk roadusers, such as young novice drivers, may benefit fromspecific ITS applications. The focus of the currentresearch is on the potential use of ITS to aidcalibration skill in young novice drivers.

To design appropriate ITS applications to aid thecalibration of young novice drivers it is important tofirst ascertain the types, degree and source ofmiscalibration in such drivers.

An experiment was carried out in 2005 using theMUARC advanced driving simulator comparing thecalibration skill of young novice drivers with that ofexperienced drivers, in two driving situations: carfollowing and gap acceptance during right hand turns.Further experimental work will be carried out in 2006and early 2007. The outcomes of the experimentalseries will be used to inform the design of ITSapplications to aid calibration in young novice drivers.(Australian Postgraduate Award; VictorianGovernment Information and CommunicationTechnologies Scholarship)

Sujanie PeirisSupervisors: Professor Brian Fildesand Dr. Melanie Franklyn

Title: ‘Modelling the kinematics ofchildren and child restraint systemsduring side and frontal vehicle impacts’

Biological data for children is verylimited as it is difficult to perform experiments on childcadavers. Consequently, child dummies havepredominately been developed using either animalstudies or scaling techniques based on adult humans– meaning child crash test dummies may notnecessarily accurately replicate the behaviour of achild during a crash. However, since these physicaldummies are being used to develop vehicle safetycountermeasures, it is important their biofidelity beinvestigated.

This study does this by using correspondingmathematical dummy models. Furthermore,depending on availability, a three-year-old childmathematical model may also be evaluated.

All child/dummy mathematical models will be placed ina mathematical model of a forward facing child

restraint that is currently being used in Australia. Real-world impacts will be modelled using the mathematicaldummies/child and the ability of the dummies topredict the injuries sustained by children involved inthe real-world impacts will be investigated.

Depending on the performance of the three-year olddummy/child models, it is anticipated that a morebiofidelic model of a child will be developed as part ofthis investigation. This will involve obtaining morerealistic tissue, bone and joint properties andincorporating this information into the model.

So far, sled tests and material tests have beenperformed, and a validated mathematical model of achild restraint has almost been completed.Furthermore, a number of child computer modelshave been accessed and are currently beingevaluated. A number of real-world crash investigationsdatabases have also been searched for real-worldimpacts that can be modelled. (John Lane MemorialScholarship funded by the Monash University AccidentResearch Foundation)

Virginia RoutleySupervisors: Professor Joan Ozanne-Smith and Dr. Li Dan (Centers forDisease Control, PR China)

Title: ‘Development of seat beltwearing in two cities in China’

With the rapid development of theChinese economy in the past 20 years, motorvehicles, road traffic accidents, deaths and injurieshave increased considerably. It is now law to wearseatbelts where fitted, but estimates of seat beltwearing rates in China, particularly those undertakenby observational studies, are scarce. This study,

Observer training for Virginia's seat beltproject in Nanjing, China


undertaken with the China Center for Disease Controlcollaboration, will measure the progress of seat beltwearing and changes in attitudes in Nanjing, JiangsuProvince and Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province.

Occurring later in technological development thanVictoria, the first state worldwide to mandate seat beltwearing, a comparison with the development of seatbelt wearing in Victoria should give an indication oftemporal and social differences in road safetydevelopment. It will inform wider seat belt uptakeinterventions in China.

After refining a survey design, establishing contractualand other project arrangements, and becomingfamiliar with the cities’ traffic, Virginia identifiedpotential observation sites and methods. The resultsinformed the baseline study and resulted in seat beltobservations of more than 30,000 vehicles in the twocities. Seat belt wearing and attitude surveys areplanned for April 2006. The final surveys are plannedfor April 2007. (Australian Postgraduate Award)

Carolyn StainesSupervisors: Professor Joan Ozanne-Smith and Professor Graeme Davison(School of Historical Studies, Facultyof Arts)

Title: ‘The Victorian experience ofdrowning and its prevention: historical

eco-epidemiological study of drowning prevention inan economically developing community’

Victoria, along with other economically developedcommunities, has had considerable success inreducing drowning death rates. But drowningcontinues to be a major cause of unintentional injurydeaths in developing countries.

This study ultimately aims to help prevent drowningsin developing countries by looking at the experience ofVictoria from early European settlement to thepresent. It seeks to identify both causal and preventivefactors, and patterns of change, operating during thisperiod. This study has drawn on historical informationavailable from the records of inquests into drowningsin the 19th and 20th centuries. Preliminary findings areshowing marked patterns of change over time, withexposure to water hazards, supervision of children,infrastructure development, lifestyle changes andswimming ability appearing to be prominent factors.

The development of the community’s response to thedrowning problem is also being investigated, usingarchival material and discussions with agenciesassociated with water safety and drowning preventionin Victoria. Preliminary findings of the study werepresented at the 1st International Workshop onDrowning Prevention in China, held in Beijing inNovember 2005. (Monash Graduate Scholarship)

Wendy WatsonSupervisors: Professor Joan Ozanne-Smith and Professor Jeff Richardson(Centre for Health Economics, Facultyof Business and Economics)

Title: ‘Of life and limb: Measuring theburden of non-fatal injury’

Wendy, the first recipient of the John Lane MemorialScholarship (2000) submitted her thesis this year. Thestudy’s aim was to learn if current methods ofestimating the burden of non-fatal injury at thepopulation level were valid.

The investigation was prompted by concerns thatgovernments were underestimating the burden ofinjury – and possibly prioritising incorrectly as a result.

Obviously, given the burden of non-fatal injury isincreasingly the focus of clinical, preventive and healthservices research, it is important the correct measuresare being used.

And indeed, the findings, to be published in 2006,suggest current methods do not provide validestimates of the burden of injury and should not beused for public health priority setting in injuryprevention until further research is done, and methodsrefined.

Part-time PhD Candidates

Mike KeallSupervisors: Professor Brian Fildes,Professor Max Cameron and Mr. BillFrith (Land Transport Safety Authority,NZ)

Title: ‘Estimation and analysis of drivercrash risk’

Risk of traffic crash can be evaluated in various waysaccording to the purpose of the analysis. This projectconsists of a number of sub-projects that quantify riskin different ways. These include: the analysis ofchanges in risk associated with a particular roadsafety intervention (hidden speed cameras in NZ);estimation of changes in risk associated with driverblood alcohol concentration; an examination of olderdrivers’ risk associated with their performance in on-road driving tests; and an evaluation of risk of differentdriving groups in different driving environments.


Damian MorganSupervisors: Professor Joan Ozanne-Smith and Professor Tom Triggs

Title: ‘Risk factors for unintentionaldrowning at surf beaches’

The PhD study identifies and assessesfactors that contribute to the risk of

drowning at surf beaches as well as providingestimates of exposure to that risk. Methods usedinclude analysis of coronial data, observation of beachusers, self report, and expert risk assessment. Datagathered in this study is used firstly to develop apredictive model of exposure to drowning risk, andsecondly, to quantify the risk posed to beach usersaccording to swimming ability, surf beach experience,and beach conditions.

Staff candidates

Bruce CorbenTitle: ‘Achieving safe trafficenvironments for pedestrians’

This thesis is founded on the beliefthat traffic environments should andcan be made safe for pedestrians,using current knowledge and

approaches. The significance of walking to individualsand the broader society is considered, including themany health, social, environmental and economicbenefits derived from safe walking.

Pedestrians are highly vulnerable in traffic andfrequently experience difficulty in selecting safe gapsin daily urban situations.

Commonly encountered vehicle travel speeds pose ahigh level of crash and injury risk to pedestrians, andcan be managed more successfully to create low-risksettings for pedestrians. The thesis examines andassesses opportunities for using combinations of roadinfrastructure and speed moderation to create safetraffic environments for pedestrians. It is expected thethesis will be submitted in early 2006.

Stuart NewsteadTitle: ‘Some applications ofgeneralised linear modellingtechniques in a road safety researchcontext’

In the battery of available statisticalanalysis methods, Generalised Linear

Modelling (GLM) techniques have been wellestablished for many years. GLM techniques offer themost appropriate analysis methods in a variety ofsettings that are not well catered for by older classicalstatistical methods. Many areas of applied statisticalresearch have made powerful use of GLM analysis

techniques. Notable areas include medical research,economic research and biological, and in particulargenetic, research.

Examination of statistical analysis techniquescommonly used in the road safety research field overthe past few decades has revealed that this area ofresearch has been relatively remiss in recognising thepotential power of GLM analysis methods. Instead,much of road safety research has utilisedinappropriate or outmoded statistical analysistechniques with little power and sophistication.

Consequently, an opportunity was identified tobroaden the field of application of modern andpowerful GLM statistical analysis techniques in roadsafety research through use in a number of studiescarried out at the centre.

The thesis draws together papers demonstrating thedevelopment and application of some statistical GLMsin two key areas of road safety research. The first isthe analysis of quasi-experimental evaluation designsfor road safety program evaluation and the secondassessment of vehicle secondary safety through theanalysis of mass crash data sources. The thesis wascompleted and submitted for examination inNovember.

Student enrolled through Monash departmentand supervised jointly

Karen ScallyDoctor of Psychology

Supervisors: Dr. N. Georgiou-Karistianis, Professor Tom Triggs& Dr. Judith Charlton

Title: ‘Parkinson’s disease and drivingbehaviour’


Students from other institutions co-supervised by MUARC staff

Simone LewisCo-supervisor: Professor Brian Fildes

Title: ‘Low severity neck injuries fromside impacts’

This postgraduate project investigateslow severity neck injuries from sideimpacts. It is a collaborative project

between MUARC, Victoria University and Holden. Theproject uses real world crash data and humanmodelling to establish potential mechanism of injury.

Daryl PedlarDoctor of Health Science (Deakin University)Associate supervisor: Dr. Lesley Day

The aim of this project is to develop a framework for apreventive strategy for dairy farm injury in south-westVictoria, based on a profile of injury in this region andinput from a regional consultative forum. The dairyfarm injury profile will be developed from specialisedemergency department and general practice injurydata collections, in addition to an exposure survey ofdairy farmers.

Michael LucasPhD (University of Western Australia)

Associate supervisor: Dr. Lesley Day

Title: ‘Injury among Australian veterinarians’

This project is a component of the Health Risk ofAustralian Veterinarians (HRAV) study of a cohort ofveterinarians who graduated from Australianuniversities between 1960-2000. The aim of the HRAVstudy is to determine whether this group are atincreased risk of cancer, injury, zoonoses or adversereproductive outcomes and to determine the riskfactors for these conditions in veterinary practice. Theaim of this PhD study is to identify the prevalence of,and risk factors for, injuries among Australianveterinarians, and to develop a prevention model foroccupational settings.

Melissa RussellPhD (University of Melbourne)

Associate supervisor: Dr. Lesley Day

Title: ‘Falls risk, assessment and interventions forolder fallers presenting to the emergency departmentand being discharged home’

The aim of this PhD study is to investigate the factorscausing older people to fall and to test a strategy forprevention (including a randomised controlled trial).

There are three main components: (1) examination ofthe characteristics and future falls risk of older fallerspresenting to emergency departments and dischargedhome (2) the evaluation of the Falls Risk for OlderPeople in the Community (FROP-Com) assessmenttool (3) a randomised controlled trial to reduce furtherfalls and injuries for older fallers presenting to anemergency department.

Graduate Seminar SeriesGraduate students present seminars at key pointsthroughout their candidature.

• January - Fiona Clay - “Predictors of return to workand work disability following injury”

• March - Sujannie Peiris - “Modelling the kinematicsof children during side impacts”

• March - Jessica Killian - “Unintentional death andpoisoning”

• April - Jessica Edquist - “Driver distraction: theeffects of visual clutter in the highway environment”

• May - Damian Morgan - “Modelling risk factors forunintentional drownings of beach swimmers”

• June - Virginia Routley - “China Belting Up: Anevaluation of the changes in seat belt wearingpatterns in the Chinese cities of Nanjing andZhoushan over three years in an environment ofrapid motorisation”

• June - Carolyn Staines - “Drowning and itsprevention in low and middle income countries”

• October - Mike Keall - “Estimation and analysis ofdriver crash risk”

• November - Wendy Watson - “Of life and limb:Measuring the burden of non-fatal injury”

Placements

Victorian Public Health Training Scheme(VPHTS)

Dianne Beck’s main focus during her placement atthe Centre was on the epidemiology of injury fromglass in furniture. As well as Victorian data, sheobtained injury data from Queensland, the United


Kingdom and the United States of America. She alsoreviewed international standards on this issue, toinform the development of an Australian Standard andpresented her results at the Australian Public HealthAssociation’s national Conference.

Dr. Rachel Tham, a dentist, undertook a five-monthplacement at the Centre working with Erin Cassell ontraumatic dental injury surveillance at the Royal DentalHospital of Melbourne and a literature review ofmouthguards in sport.

Jonathon Ehsani completed a highly productiveVictorian Public Health Trainee Scheme fellowship inDecember 2004. In November 2004, Jonathon went toNanjing, China, where he undertook with VirginiaRoutley, a validation study of the methods for the PhDstudy on seat belt wearing and the results of this studyhave been prepared for publication.

He also conducted a study of despecification of motorvehicle safety features in China and India. His finalstudy was a comparison of injury mortality rates bycause in the South-East Asian and Western Pacificregions and their sub-regions, resulting in findings ofimportance in planning child injury interventions in theregions, particularly with regard to drowning, roadtraffic injury and fires.

Michelle Sweidan joined MUARC in November 2004for a four month fellowship, also under the VictorianPublic Health Trainee Scheme. A pharmacist by initialtraining, Michelle will work on projects relating to childpoisoning, and other relevant topics.

Sarah-Jane Blunt, a Health Promotion student fromDeakin University, undertook an 80-hour practicalplacement from July to October, working with researchstaff engaged in the Victorian Injury Surveillance andResearch program.

Undergraduate Research ProgramsThe MUARC Honours and Vacation ResearchScholarship program encourages and attracts highquality undergraduate students with the aim ofdeveloping research skills in an area of accident andinjury analysis and prevention through supervisedresearch projects. The Honours program also fosterlinks with other university faculties with studentsenrolling through their home disciplinary units whileundertaking supervised research projects within thecentre.

The 2004-2005 Vacation Research Scholars wereLiam Fechner (a third year engineering student atMonash) who worked on vehicle safety issues withProfessor Fildes and others in his research group, andKristen Moore, a student in the Monash SciencesScholar program, whose interest area is statisticalanalysis (supervisors Mr. Stuart Newstead andDr. Judith Charlton).

The centre also hosted an Honours student fromMonash Department of Mathematics, Angelo D’Elia,and a student from the University of Melbourne’sAdvanced Medical Science program, Hui Chen Han.

Angelo undertook his thesis on the comparison oftheoretical logistic regression models in the calculationof vehicle crashworthiness with Stuart Newstead andon completion of his degree; he has accepted aposition as a research assistant at MUARC with MaxCameron’s group.

Hui Chen is working with Peter Hillard and DavidLogan investigating the potential for improving injurycoding methods.

Peter Hillard and David Logan were joint "industrysupervisors" for the following Mechanical Engineeringstudent final year projects: Peter Parkes: "Rolloverprevention and protection in Unimogs"; RodneyHuxtable and James Morgan: "Minimising occupantinjury in a side impact crash"

Journal ClubThe Journal Club, convened by Barbara Fox, met onthe first Friday in the month eight times during 2005,reviewing articles on the following topics andpresented by the following speakers:

Postgrad students Carolyn Staines and Lyndal Bugeja


• February 2005: Carolyn Staines: ‘Mothers’ homesafety practices for preventing six types ofchildhood injury: What do they do and why?’

• March 2005: Jude Charlton: ‘The effect of visualfield defects on driving performance.’

• April 2005: Eve Mitsopoulos ‘Do expert drivershave a reduced illusion of superiority?’

• May 2005: Damian Morgan ‘Pete’s story:interpreting the consequences of risk taking.’

• June 2005: Jessica Killian ‘Alcohol and drowning inAustralia.’

• August 2005: Melanie Franklyn ‘Analysis of finiteelement models for head injury investigation:reconstruction of four real-world impacts.’

• September 2005: Jessica Edquist ‘Age differencesin visual search for traffic signs during a simulatedconversation.’

• October 2005: Jim Scully ‘Willingness to pay forreducing fatal accident risk in urban areas: aninternet-based web page stated preference survey.’

The Journal Club meetings were well attendedespecially by PhD students, with an average of 12persons per meeting.

Lunchtime Seminar SeriesThe following seminars were presented during 2005.These presentations are open to anyone to attend andan email advisory is sent to those who request to beon the list regarding the upcoming seminars.

Thursday 20 JanuaryAssoc. Professor Jikuang YangChalmers University of Technology, Sweden “FromAccident to Safer Vehicle for Vulnerable Road Users”

Wednesday 30 March Paul SalmonMUARC “From the Battlefield to Monash Freeway:Investigating the application of military-based HumanFactors theory and methods in the road transportdomain”

Wednesday 20 April Ken WinkelAustralian Venom Research Unit, University ofMelbourne “Lessons for Global Snakebite Controlfrom Studies in the Asia-Pacific”

Wednesday 4 May Dr. Wes Rutland-BrownCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, NationalCenter for Injury Prevention and Control Division ofInjury and Disability Outcomes and Programs “CDC’sTraumatic Brain Injury Research”

Wednesday 18 May Dr. Michel BédardCanada Research Chair in Aging and Health,Department of Psychology, Lakehead UniversityCanada “Driving and ageing”

Monday 30 May Dr. Peter BurnsChief of the Ergonomics and Crash AvoidanceDivision at Transport Canada “Driver distraction”

Wednesday 14 September Dr. Eric HallmanDirector, Agricultural Health and Safety Program,Cornell University and Dr. Mark PurschwitzResearch Engineer, National Farm Medicine Center,Wisconsin. “Agricultural equipment safety in theUnited States - investigations, initiatives, and insights”

Friday 14 October Jeff AugensteinDirector Surgical ICU, Ryder Trauma Centre, Miami“Vehicle Safety Innovations as a Result of RoadTrauma Research”

Thursday 20 October Prof. Claes TingvallSwedish National Road Authority (SNRA) “TrafficSafety in Sweden - new initiatives”

Short Courses and WorkshopsMUARC conducted a short course on InjuryEpidemiology and Prevention in April convened by Dr.Jenny Sherrard. Fourteen participants, includingMUARC PhD students, attended the course.

The Adding Value to Injury Data Workshop in May,convened by Professor Joan Ozanne-Smith andfunded by the MUARC Strategic DevelopmentProgram, was attended by about 20 people fromVictoria, NSW, WA and NSW as part of an initiative tostimulate new advances in this area.

AusAIDTwo new Australian Youth Ambassador (AYA)assignments were taken up in 2005. Theseassignments were won by MUARC in partnership withWHO and UNICEF in China. The assignments wereeach for 12 months. Adam Craig followed in JonathonPassmore’s footsteps in this role at WHO. Jonathonwas a Victorian Public Health Training Scheme Fellowat MUARC before taking up his WHO, China AYAassignment in 2004. Alanna Chan was appointed tothe UNICEF, China assignment commencing inOctober 2005.

Professor Joan Ozanne-Smith and senior WHOGeneva and UNICEF staff provide mentoring for theAYA’s. Joan invited both Adam and Alanna in Beijingto discuss their assignments and progress.

Postgrad students Eve Mitsopoulos, Clay Douglas,Jessica Killian and Jessica Edquist


Foundation

Foundation Trustees:External Trustees appointed by the Vice-Chancellor

Executive OfficerNicole Paramanis

Our RoleTo support, encourage and promote the work of the Accident Research Centre

Foundation Regulations made by Monash University Council, December 1996

Our VisionResearch achieving results

ChairmanMr. E.C.J. (Ted) Johnson

Mr. Philip G. Molyneux

Ex-Officio Members

Chair of the Board of Management, MUARCProfessor Edwina CornishDeputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)

Director, MUARCProfessor Ian Johnston

The Accident Research Centre sets asidefunds in the Foundation. The interest earnedon the investment of these funds, togetherwith donations to the Foundation, is used tosupport postgraduate research and training,and other worthwhile activities.

Postgraduate Research

Current Scholarship Holders

Peter Vulcan Scholarship: Ben Brooks - ‘Culture andclaims data: building blocks for an OHS decisionsupport group’

John Lane Memorial Scholarship - second recipient:Sujanie Peiris - ‘Modelling the kinematics of childrenand child restraint systems during side and frontalvehicle impacts’


John Lane Memorial ScholarshipDr. John Lane, recognised as the father of aviationsafety in Australia, and a leader in road safety, died onJanuary 21, 1999. In recognition of Dr. Lane’scontribution in the field of injury prevention, and as apersonal tribute, the Trustees of the Foundationestablished the John Lane Memorial Scholarship.

Ms. Wendy Watson, the first recipient of the JohnLane Memorial Scholarship (2000), funded by theMonash University Accident Research Foundation,submitted her thesis this year.

The aim of her project, Of Life & Limb: Measuring theNon-Fatal Burden of Injury, was to learn if currentmethods of estimating the burden of non-fatal injury atthe population level were valid.

The study was prompted by concerns thatgovernments were underestimating the burden ofinjury – and possibly prioritising incorrectly as a result.

“Given the burden of non-fatal injury is increasingly thefocus of clinical, preventive and health servicesresearch, it’s important the correct measures arebeing used,” she said.

Ms. Watson’s findings, to be published next year,suggest current methods do not provide validestimates of the burden of injury and should not beused for public health priority setting in injuryprevention until further research is done, and methodsrefined.

Peter Vulcan ScholarshipProfessor Peter Vulcan was the inaugural Director ofMUARC, leading the organisation from its inception in1987 until his retirement in 1998. Peter remains anAdjunct Professor and is still active in several MUARCprojects.

DonationsThe Foundation received a $10,000 donation fromBosch at the Active & Passive Forum in November,MUARC Director, Professor Ian Johnston attended theforum and was delighted to accept the cheque on theTrustee’s behalf. The donation funds will be used forroad safety research.

Travel ScholarshipDr. Eric Hallam, Director of the Agricultural Health andSafety Program at Cornell university, New York, andDr. Mark Purschwitz from the National Farm MedicineCentre, Wisconsin USA, visited MUARC as part of atrip to Australia to investigate the relatively successfulapproach being taken to reducing tractor related rollover deaths on farms. Dr. Purschwitz’s visit was partlysponsored by the Foundation. While at the Centre,they gave a joint seminar on US agriculturalequipment safety, and joined meetings and on-siteinspections for the farm machinery in-depthinvestigation study. As both Dr. Hallam and Dr.Purschwitz are agricultural engineers and haveworked for tractor manufacturers, their input andadvice was very helpful. They also provided someuseful contacts in the agricultural manufacturingindustry in the United States. After leaving the Centre,they toured regional Victoria to explore organisationand technical issues associated with modifications totractors, as well asmeeting farmers,machinery dealersand WorkCoverofficers.

The 2005Foundation AnnualReport will beavailable from theCentre’s website atwww.monash.edu.au/muarc

Wendy Watson

From left: Dr Eric Hallman, Dr Lesley Day and Dr Mark Purschwitz.


Statement ofIncome and Expenditure

$Balance as at 1 January, 2005 1,639,748

Income 8,466,821Department of Education, Science & Training 1,124,247Research, comprising 5,305,665

Australian Research Council 343,152Nat Health & Medical Res Council 228,995Commercial Research 2,861,781Commonwealth Research Grants 129,691Victorian Government Grants 751,948Other Research Grants 990,098

Commercial 701,646Internal Grants (Monash Research Support) 180,481Other (inc. Sale of Assets) 90,782Monash University internal transfer1 1,064,000

Expenditure -7,866,768Salary and related -4,969,509Financial and administration2 -612,112Student related -100,448Infrastructure related -224,672Central Support Services - Overhead Cost1 -1,239,300Capital Expenditure -97,460Other operating -623,267

Balance at 31 December, 2005 2,239,801

1Accommodation and other services which were previously supplied as in-kind university support have beenreplaced by overhead costs. The university has also provided a transfer of funds to substantially offset thesecharges.2 includes payments to consultants

The Centre’s accounts have been certified correct by the University’s Corporate Finance Division. Whererequired as a condition of funding grants, accounts will be audited by the University’s Internal Auditor. They willbe subject to Government audit as part of the University’s annual accounts for the calendar year 2005.

Footnote: It should be noted that the Centre operates on a calendar financial year and its revenue andexpenditure are, for the most part, project related and several projects cross-fixed reporting periods andfinancial years. The apparent ‘surplus’ mostly reflects grant and contract income received in 2005 forexpenditure that will be incurred in 2006.


Appendix AProject Steering and Project AdvisoryExternal Committee MembersThe following people served as external members on Project Advisory Committees and Steering Committees.Their contribution is gratefully acknowledged.

Project Representative Organisation

Analysis of fatal drug crashesWilliam Gibbons Department of JusticePeter Keogh Victoria PolicePhilip Swann VicRoadsDimitra Tapsas Royal Automobile Club of Victoria

(RACV) LtdRichard Thiele Transport Accident Commission

Australian National Crash In-Depth Study (ANCIS)Bill Bridgens Ford Motor Company of AustraliaGraeme Brisbane Roads & Traffic Authority (NSW)Michael Case Royal Automobile Club of Victoria

(RACV) LtdAngela Conway Department of Infrastructure, Energy

& Resources (Tasmania)Julie Edwards Motor Accidents Authority (NSW)Paul Fay Ford EuropeDavid Healy Transport Accident CommissionJack Haley National Roads and Motorists’

Association LimitedJon Henchy Australian Transport Safety BureauJames Hurnall Australian Automobile AssociationJames Holgate Toyota Motor Corporation of AustraliaRobert Judd Autoliv AustraliaJim Langford Department of Infrastructure, Energy

& Resources (Tasmania)Nimmi Magedara Roads & Traffic Authority (NSW)Ross McArthur VicRoadsKeith Seyer Federal Chamber of Automotive

IndustriesStu Smith Holden LtdLaurie Sparke Holden LtdPaul Tierney Transport Accident CommissionJames Tol Mitsubishi Motors Australia LtdJim Wylie Australian Transport Safety Bureau

Baseline Program CommitteeAntonietta Cavallo / Jeff Potter VicRoadsWilliam Gibbons Department of JusticeDavid Healy Transport Accident CommissionKen Ogden /Michael Case Royal Automobile Club of Victoria

(RACV) Ltd.Peter Keogh Victoria Police

Behaviour, Travel and ExposurePeter Keogh Victoria PolicePat Rogerson VicRoadsRobyn Seymour Royal Automobile Club of Victoria

(RACV) Ltd.Richard Thiele Transport Accident CommissionTricia Williams VicRoads

Cerebro-Spinal Injury During Competitive Dive-inRon Bongetti Swimming VictoriaJohn Kilpatrick Swimming VictoriaBrendan Lynch Swimming Australia

Crashworthiness RatingsBarbara Bibby Land Transport New ZealandIain Cameron Office of Road Safety Western

AustraliaMichael Case Royal Automobile Club of Victoria

(RACV) LtdSamantha Cockfield Transport Accident CommissionJulian del Beato Royal Automobile Club of Victoria

(RACV) LtdAngus Draheim Queensland TransportRoger Farley Office of Road Safety Western

AustraliaJon Gibson Office of Road Safety Western

AustraliaJohn Goldsworthy Australian Transport Safety BureauJack Haley National Roads and Motorists’

Association LimitedJames Hurnall Australian Automobile AssociationChristopher Jones Royal Automobile Club of Victoria

(RACV) Ltdthe late Andrew Justice Land Transport New ZealandNimmi Magedara Roads and Traffic Authority, New

South WalesRoss McArthur VicRoadsCraig Smith VicRoadsStella Stocks AA New ZealandMichael Upton Royal Auto Club of Western Australia

LtdHarry Vertsonis Roads & Traffic Authority (NSW)John White Land Transport New Zealand


Flexible barrier systemWilliam Gibbons Department of JusticeKen Hall VicRoadsDavid Healy Transport Accident CommissionPeter Keogh Victoria PoliceDaniel Przychodzki Royal Automobile Club of Victoria

(RACV) Ltd

Highway Design for Older DriversRobin Anderson Department of Urban Services (ACT)Trevor Bailey Department of Transport (South

Australia)Antonietta Cavallo /Tricia Williams VicRoadsJack Cook Council on the Ageing (Victoria)Bill Frith Land Transport Safety Authority, New

ZealandAnne Harris Royal Automobile Club of Victoria

(RACV) LtdMike King Queensland TransportJim Langford Department of Infrastructure, Energy

& Resources (Tasmania)Richard Lathlean AustroadsRosemary Rouse Roads & Traffic Authority (NSW)

In-depth Investigations of Farm Machinery InjuryWorking Group

A/Prof. Trever CroweDepartment of Agricultural andBioresource Engineering, University ofSaskatchewan, Canada

Mr. James Houlahan Australian Centre for AgriculturalHealth and Safety

Mr. Mark Ingram Institute for Agricultural Rural andEnvironmental Health, University ofSaskatchewan, Canada

Mr. Graeme Prince Chair, Farmsafe Victoria, VictorianFarmers Federation

Mr. Eric Sharkey Grains Commodity Group, VictorianFarmers Federation

Maximising the Effectiveness of Chain ofResponsibility Provisions

Michael Case Royal Automobile Club of Victoria(RACV) Ltd

Peter Frauenfelder VicRoadsWilliam Gibbons Department of JusticeDavid Healy Transport Accident CommissionPeter Keogh Victoria PoliceRoss McArthur VicRoadsDimitra Tapsas Royal Automobile Club of Victoria

(RACV) Ltd

Model Licence Re-assessment Procedure for Olderand Disabled Drivers

Australian CommitteeRobin Anderson Department of Urban Services (ACT)Trevor Bailey Department of Transport (South Australia)John Brown National Roads and Motorists’

Association LimitedBarry Cole University of MelbournePeteris Darzins National Ageing Research InstituteMarylin Di Stefano La Trobe UniversityBill Frith Ministry of Transport (formerly LTSA)Charles Gorman Metropolitan Traffic Education CentreJenny Gowan Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

(Victorian Branch)Anne Harris Royal Automobile Club of Victoria

(RACV) LtdJohn Hebron Transport Industries Skills CentreMark King Queensland TransportJim Langford Department of Infrastructure, Energy &

Resources (Tas) (Rep. AustRoads)Richard Lathlean AustRoadsCorinne Leadbeatter VicRoadsRobin Lovell Occupational Therapy Australia – VictoriaTerry Martin Australian Driver Trainers AssociationMorris Odell Victorian Institute of Forensic

Medicine, Monash UniversityRosemary Rouse Roads and Traffic Authority, New

South WalesMichael Scavone Pharmaceutical Society of VictoriaMargaret Smyth Australian Transport Safety BureauMargaret Spurr Disabled Motorists (Victoria)Jill Thompson Council on the Ageing (Victoria)Nick Tolhurst Department of Human ServicesGordon Trinca Royal Australasian College of

SurgeonsJohn White Disabled Motorists (Victoria)Patricia Williams VicRoadsNew Zealand CommitteeCarol Armitage The Physio ClinicClaire Austin Royal College of General PractitionersRaye Boyle New Zealand Association of

GerontologyGraham Davis General PractitionerGale de Boaer New Zealand Society of

PhysiotherapistsLouise Dooley Office for Senior CitizensDaniel Du Plessis Office for Senior CitizensDavid Evans Ministry of Transport (formerly LTSA)George Fairbairn New Zealand Automobile AssociationLesley Frederikson NZ Association of GerontologyBill Frith Ministry of Transport (formerly LTSA)Jim Furneaux Ministry of Transport (formerly LTSA)John Gibson Age Concern, WellingtonMargaret Guthrie New Zealand Association of

Gerontology/Age Concern, New ZealandKaren Joyce Ministry of Transport (formerly LTSA)Brian Ibell Alzheimer Society New Zealand Inc.Corinne Leadbeatter VicRoadsTom McRae New Zealand Council of Civil LibertiesKevin O’Leary New Zealand Association of

Occupational TherapistsShona Page Opus International ConsultantsRichard Shanks New Zealand Association of OptometristsPeter Sheppard AA Driver Education FoundationScott Thomson New Zealand Private Physiotherapists

AssociationGraham Woods Khandalla Medical Centre


Perceptual CountermeasuresJohn Goldsworthy Australian Transport Safety BureauMike Tziotis ARRB Transport Research Ltd

Road Safety (Drug Driving) Act 2003 EvaluationIan Cairns Victoria PoliceAntonietta Cavallo /Tricia Williams VicRoadsWilliam Gibbons Department of JusticeAnne Harris Royal Automobile Club of Victoria

(RACV) LtdPhilip Swann VicRoadsPaul Tierney Transport Accident Commission

Safety Attitudes and Behaviours inWork-related Driving

William Gibbons Department of JusticeJohn Ingham Victoria PoliceRussell Scott VicRoadsRuth Stuckey Transport Accident CommissionDimitra Tapsas Royal Automobile Club of Victoria

(RACV) Ltd

Speed Theme Advisory CommitteeAntonietta Cavallo /Tricia Williams VicRoadsPeter Daly Royal Automobile Club of Victoria

(RACV) LtdWilliam Gibbons Department of JusticeKen Hall VicRoadsDavid Healy Transport Accident CommissionPeter Keogh Victoria PolicePat Rogerson VicRoadsRichard Thiele Transport Accident Commission

Transport Accident Commission SafeCar ProjectKevin Connelly Transport Accident CommissionDavid Healy Transport Accident CommissionBruce Hearn VicRoadsRoss McCarthur VicRoadsKen Ogden/Michael Case Royal Automobile Club of

Victoria (RACV) Ltd

Victorian Injury Surveillance and Applied Research(VISAR) – Executive – External Members

James Harrison Research Centre for Injury Studies(SA)

David Taylor Royal Melbourne Hospital

Visionary Research Model StudyAntonietta Cavallo/Tricia Williams VicRoadsWilliam Gibbons Department of JusticeDavid Healy Transport Accident CommissionKen Ogden/Michael Case Royal Automobile Club of

Victoria (RACV) Ltd.Peter Keogh Victoria Police

Young Driver Program – Learner Driver ExperienceAntonietta Cavallo VicRoadsAnne Harris Royal Automobile Club of Victoria

(RACV) LtdWilliam Gibbons Department of JusticePeter Keogh Victoria PolicePaul Tierney Transport Accident Commission

Staff members Melanie Franklyn and Anthony Clark


Appendix BPublications and Presentations

MUARC Report SeriesClark, B., Haworth, N. & Lenné, M. (2005) The VictorianParliamentary Road Safety Committee - A history ofInquiries and outcomes, Monash University AccidentResearch Centre, Report No. 237

Delaney, A., Ward, H. & Cameron, M. (2005) The historyand development of speed camera use, MonashUniversity Accident Research Centre, Report No. 242

Gunatilaka, A., Horberry, T. & Regan, M. (2005)‘Intelligent Systems and Industrial Traffic Management’,Proceedings Safety in Action Conference 2005, 21-23March, Melbourne

Haworth, N. & Mulvihill, C. (2005) Review of motorcyclelicensing and training, Monash University AccidentResearch Centre, Report No. 240

Haworth, N., Mulvihill, C. & Symmons, M. (2005) Hazardperception and responding by motorcyclists –Background and literature review, Monash UniversityAccident Research Centre, Report No. 235

Haworth, N., Mulvihill, C., Wallace, P., Symmons, M. &Regan, M. (2005) Hazard perception and responding bymotorcyclists – Summary of background, literaturereview and training methods, Monash UniversityAccident Research Centre, Report No. 234

Mitsopoulos, E., Regan, M., Anderson, J., Salmon, P. &Edquist, J. (2005) Team training for safer young driversand passengers in the ACT: a role for crew resourcemanagement, Monash University Accident ResearchCentre, Report No. 233

Mulvihill, C., Senserrick, T. & Haworth, N. (2005)Development of a model resource for parents assupervisory drivers, Monash University AccidentResearch Centre, Report No. 243

Newstead, S., Cameron, M. & Watson, L. (2005)Vehicle safety ratings estimated from police reportedcrash data: 2005 update. Australian and New Zealandcrashes during 1987-2003, Monash University AccidentResearch Centre, Report No. 241

Newstead, S. & Watson, L. (2005) Trends incrashworthiness of the New Zealand vehicle fleet byyear of manufacture: 1964 to 2002, Monash UniversityAccident Research Centre, Report No. 238

Oxley, J., Charlton, J. & Fildes, B. (2005) The effect ofcognitive impairment on older pedestrian behaviour andcrash risk, Monash University Accident ResearchCentre, Report No. 244

Senserrick, T. & Haworth, N. (2005) Review of literatureregarding national and international young drivertraining, licensing and regulatory systems, MonashUniversity Accident Research Centre, Report No. 239

Symmons, M. & Haworth, N. (2005) Safety attitudes andbehaviours in work-related driving – Stage 1: Analysesof crash data, Monash University Accident ResearchCentre, Report No. 232

Wallace, P., Haworth, N. & Regan, M. (2005) Besttraining methods for teaching hazard perception andresponding by motorcyclists, Monash UniversityAccident Research Centre, Report No. 236

Books and Book ChaptersFildes, B. & Pronk, N. (2005) ‘Crash and injuryprevention’, In C. Browning and S. A. Thomas [Eds.],Behavioural Change - An Evidence-Based Handbookfor Social and Public Health, Chapter 12, ChurchillLivingstone

Gibson, H., Walker, G., Stanton, N., Baber, C. & Salmon,P. (2005) ‘The Event Analysis of Systemic Teamwork(EAST) Methodology and Analyses of RailwayMaintenance Tasks’, In P. Bust and P. T. McCabe [Eds.],Contemporary Ergonomics 2005, London: Taylor andFrancis

Haworth, N. (2005) ‘Maximising the road safety impactof advertising’, In J. Langford and B. Fildes [Eds.],Australasian Road Safety Handbook: Volume 2, pp.15-23, Sydney: Austroads Incorporated, AP-R268/05

Henderson, M., Charlton, J., Pronk, N. & Scully, J.(2005) ‘Improving child safety restraint systems’, In J.Langford and B. Fildes [Eds.], Australasian Road SafetyHandbook: Volume 2, pp.72-81, Sydney: AustroadsIncorporated, AP-R268/05

Horberry, T., Regan, M. & Anderson, J. (2005) ‘HumanFactors in land transport’, In W. Karwowski [Ed.]International Encyclopaedia of Ergonomics and HumanFactors, (Accepted for publication),


Langford, J. (2005) ‘Road safety impact of fitting seatbelts to school buses’, In J. Langford and B. Fildes[Eds.], Australasian Road Safety Handbook: Volume 2,pp.32-37, Sydney: Austroads Incorporated, AP-R268/05

Langford, J. (2005) ‘Road safety impact of motorcycletraining and licensing schemes’, In J. Langford and B.Fildes [Eds.], Australasian Road Safety Handbook:Volume 2, pp.52-64, Sydney: Austroads Incorporated,AP-R268/05

Langford, J. & Corben, B. (2005) ‘Road improvementsas a road safety countermeasure’, In J. Langford and B.Fildes [Eds.], Australasian Road Safety Handbook:Volume 2, pp.1-8, Sydney: Austroads Incorporated, AP-R268/05

Langford, J. & Fildes, B. [Eds.] (2005) AustralasianRoad Safety Handbook: Volume 2, AustroadsIncorporated, AP-R268/05

Langford, J. & Patterson, T. (2005) ‘Road safetyimplications of daytime running lights’, In J. Langfordand B. Fildes [Eds.], Australasian Road SafetyHandbook: Volume 2, pp.65-71, Sydney: AustroadsIncorporated, AP-R268/05

Muir, C. (2005) ‘Road safety impact of medical testing ofdrivers’, In J. Langford and B. Fildes [Eds.], AustralasianRoad Safety Handbook: Volume 2, pp.45-51, Sydney:Austroads Incorporated, AP-R268/05

Newstead, S., Cameron, M. & Langford, J. (2005)‘Promoting vehicle crashworthiness’, In J. Langford andB. Fildes [Eds.], Australasian Road Safety Handbook:Volume 2, pp.108-117, Sydney: Austroads Incorporated,AP-R268/05

Pronk, N. & Langford, J. (2005) ‘Road safety impact ofrehabilitation programs for traffic offenders’, In J.Langford and B. Fildes [Eds.], Australasian Road SafetyHandbook: Volume 2, pp.38-44, Sydney: AustroadsIncorporated, AP-R268/05

Salmon, P., Stanton, N., Walker, G. & Green, D. (2005)‘Cognitive task analysis: a review’, In W. Karwowski[Ed.] International Encyclopaedia of Ergonomics andHuman Factors, 2nd edition ed.,

Salmon, P., Stanton, N., Walker, G. & Green, D. (2005)‘Integrating human factors methods: The HF methodsmatrix’, In P. Bust and P. T. McCabe [Eds.],Contemporary Ergonomics 2005, London: Taylor andFrancis

Stanton, N., Salmon, P., Walker, G., Baber, C. & Jenkins,D. P. (2005) Human Factors Methods: A Practical Guidefor Engineering and Design, Ashgate, UK, UK

Symmons, M. & Langford, J. (2005) ‘Road safetyimplications of using hands-free mobile telephoneswhile driving’, In J. Langford and B. Fildes [Eds.],Australasian Road Safety Handbook: Volume 2, pp.101-107, Sydney: Austroads Incorporated, AP-R268/05

Walker, G., Gibson, H., Stanton, N., Baber, C., Salmon,P. & Green, D. (2005) ‘Event Analysis of SystemicTeamwork (EAST); A Novel Integration of ErgonomicsMethods to Analyse C4i Activity’, In P. Bust and P. T.McCabe [Eds.], Contemporary Ergonomics 2005,London: Taylor and Francis

Young, K. & Regan, M. (2005) ‘Road safety implicationsof driver distraction’, In J. Langford and B. Fildes [Eds.],Australasian Road Safety Handbook: Volume 2, pp.92-100, Sydney: Austroads Incorporated, AP-R268/05

Peer Review Journal ArticlesBrooks, B. (2005) ‘Not drowning, waving! - Safetymanagement and occupational culture in an Australiancommercial fishing port’, Safety Science, 43 (10),pp795-814

Cassell, E., Ashby, K., Gunatilaka, A. & Clapperton, A.(2005) ‘Do wrist guards have the potential to protectagainst wrist injuries in bicycling, micro scooter ridingand monkey bar play?’ Injury Prevention (11), pp200-203

Day, L., Langley, J., Voaklander, D., Sim, M., Wolfe, R.,Dosman, J., Hagel, L. & Ozanne-Smith, J. (2005)‘Minimizing bias in a case-control study of farm injury’,Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 11 (2), pp175-184

Day, L., Scott, M., Williams, R., Rechnitzer, G., Walsh, P.& Boyle, S. (2005) ‘Development of the Safe TractorAssessment Rating System’, Journal of AgriculturalSafety and Health, 11 (3), pp353-364

Delaney, A., Ward, H., Cameron, M. & Williams, A.(2005) ‘Controversies and speed cameras: lessonslearnt internationally’, Journal of Public Health Policy, 26(4), pp404-415.

Franklyn, M., Fildes, B., Zhang, L., Yang, K. & Sparke, L.(2005) ‘Analysis of finite element models for head injuryinvestigation: reconstruction of four real-world impacts’,STAPP Car Crash Journal, 49, November, pp1-32

Gibbs, L., Waters, E., Sherrard, J., Ozanne-Smith, J.,Robinson, J., Young, S. & Hutchinson, A. (2005)‘Understanding parental motivators and barriers touptake of poison safety strategies: a qualitative study’,Injury Prevention, 11, pp373-377

Haworth, N. (2005) ‘Maximising the impact of roadsafety advertising’, Road & Transport Research, 14 (4),December, pp3-11

Keall, M., Frith, W. J. & Patterson, T. L. (2005) ‘Thecontribution of alcohol to night-time crash risk and otherrisks of night driving’, Accident Analysis & Prevention,37, pp816-824

Keall, M. D. & Frith, W. J. (2005) ‘A method forestimating crash risk associated with driver BAC’,Transportation Research, Part E, 41 (Special Issue onAlcohol, Road Safety, and Public Policy), pp409-420


Oxley, J., Ihsen, E., Fildes, B., Charlton, J. & Day, R.(2005) ‘Crossing roads safely: An experimental study ofage differences in gap selection by pedestrians’,Accident Analysis & Prevention, 37 (5), pp962-971

Regan, M. (2005) ‘Driver distraction: reflections on thepast, present and future’, Journal of the AustralasianCollege of Road Safety, 16 (2), November, pp22-33

Sherker, S., Ozanne-Smith, J., Rechnitzer, G. &Grzebieta, R. H. (2005) ‘Out on a limb: risk factors forarm fracture in playground equipment falls’, InjuryPrevention (11), pp102-124

Sherker, S., Short, A. & Ozanne-Smith, J. (2005) ‘The insitu performance of playground surfacing: implicationsfor maintenance and injury prevention’, InternationalJournal of Injury Control & Safety Promotion, 12 (1),pp63-66

Staines, C., Morgan, D. & Ozanne-Smith, J. (2005)‘Threats to tourist and visitor safety at beaches inVictoria, Australia’, Tourism in Marine Environments, 1(2), pp97-104

Stokes, M., van Leeuwen, P. & Ozanne-Smith, J. (2005)‘The use of injury surveillance databases to identifyemerging injury hazards’, International Journal of InjuryControl and Safety Promotion, 12 (1), pp1-7

Stolwyk, R., Triggs, T., Charlton, J. & Bradshaw, J.(2005) ‘Impact of internal versus external cueing ondriving performance in people with Parkinson’s disease’,Movement Disorders, 20 (7), pp846-857

Watson, W., Ozanne-Smith, J. & Richardson, J. (2005)‘An evaluation of the Assessment of Quality of Life utilityinstrument as a measure of the impact of injury onhealth-related quality of life’, International Journal ofInjury Control and Safety Promotion, 12 (4), pp227 –239

Wigglesworth, E. C. (2005) ‘Do some US States havehigher/lower injury mortality rates than others?’ Journalof Trauma (58), pp1144-1149

Wigglesworth, E. C. (2005) ‘Here’s to health’,Ergonomics Australia, 19 (2), pp34-40

Wigglesworth, E. C., Graham, A. & Routley, V. (2005)‘Rail-related deaths in Victoria, Australia 1990-2002’,Road & Transport Research, 14 (1), pp30-37

Other Journal ArticlesGunatilaka, A. (2005) ‘Forklifts and pedestrian safety’,Plant Safety News, (invited feature article) (4), August

Gunatilaka, A. (2005) ‘Reducing forklift-related injuriesthrough intelligent devices’, Plant Safety News, (invitedfeature article) (3), May

Gunatilaka, A. (2005) ‘Robots and Safety’, OHS Alert,[Invited feature article], 18 October

Gunatilaka, A., Cassell, E. & Clapperton, A. (2005)‘Preventing hand entrapment injury from doors’, Hazard,Victorian Injury Surveillance and Applied ResearchSystem, Monash University Accident Research Centre,59, pp19-21

Gunatilaka, A., Clapperton, A. & Cassell, E. (2005)‘Preventing home fall injuries: structural and designissues and solutions’, Hazard, Victorian InjurySurveillance and Applied Research System, MonashUniversity Accident Research Centre, 59, pp1-18

Gunatilaka, A., Horberry, T. & Regan, M. (2005) ‘Usingtechnology to make materials handling safer’, SafetySolutions Magazine, 3 (4), Aug/Sep, pp63-64

Johnston, I. (2005) ‘Sustainable Transport - separatingthe meaning from the mantra’, Road & TransportResearch, 14 (1), pp65-71

Marson, R., Taylor, M., Ashby, K. & Cassell, E. (2005)‘Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset: Factors thatimpact upon the data quality’, Emergency MedicineAustralasia (17), pp104-112

Regan, M. (2005) ‘Human factors and ergonomicsresearch at the Monash University Accident ResearchCentre: Part 1’, Human Factors and Ergonomics SocietyNewsletter, 5, May, pp3-4

Regan, M. (2005) ‘Human factors and ergonomicsresearch at the Monash University Accident ResearchCentre: Part 2’, Human Factors and Ergonomics SocietyNewsletter, 6, August, pp5-6

Regan, M. (2005) ‘Intelligent vehicle safety research -an Australian program’, Auto Engineer, (Technical Talksection), SAE Australasia: North Melbourne, March,pp20-23

Regan, M. (2005) ‘New Technologies a potential risk fordrivers’, ITS Australia News

Regan, M. (2005) ‘New technologies and fleet safety’,Local Government Manager, 38 (5), April/May, pp20-21

Sherker, S. & Ozanne-Smith, J. (2005) ‘Are currentplayground safety standards adequate for preventingarm fractures?’ Medical Journal of Australia, 182 (1),pp47 (letter)

Tierney, P. & Regan, M. (2005) ‘Protect and survive’,Traffic Technology International, June/July, pp28-30


Peer Review Conference PapersCandappa, N., Fotheringham, N., Lenné, M., Corben,B., Johansson, C. & Smith, P. (2005) ‘Evaluation of analternative pedestrian treatment at a roundabout’,Proceedings Australasian Road Safety ResearchPolicing Education Conference, 14-16 November,Wellington, New Zealand, Submitted Papers CD-ROM,10p

Candappa, N., Mulvihill, C., Corben, B. & Lenné, M.(2005) ‘Ameliorating motorcyclist injury risk from flexiblebarrier collisions in Victoria’, Proceedings AustralasianRoad Safety Research Policing Education Conference,14-16 November, Wellington, New Zealand, SubmittedPapers CD-ROM, 10p

Charlton, J., Fildes, B., Laemmle, R., Koppel, S.,Fechner, L., Moore, K., Smith, S., Douglas, F. & Doktor,I. (2005) ‘An evaluation of crash protection of boosterseats for children’, Proceedings Australasian RoadSafety Research Policing Education Conference, 14-16November, Wellington, New Zealand, Submitted PapersCD-ROM, 10p

Corben, B. (2005) ‘Development of the visionaryresearch model application to the car/pedestrianconflict’, Proceedings Australasian Road SafetyResearch Policing Education Conference, 14-16November, Wellington, New Zealand, Submitted PapersCD-ROM, 11p

Corben, B., Oxley, J., Koppel, S. & Johnston, I. (2005)‘Cost-effective measures to improve crash and injuryrisk at rural intersections’, Proceedings AustralasianRoad Safety Research Policing Education Conference,14-16 November, Wellington, New Zealand, SubmittedPapers CD-ROM, 10p

Delaney, A., Newstead, S. & Cameron, M. (2005) ‘Aframework for assessing the relative effectiveness ofvehicle crashworthiness measures through datasimulation.’ Proceedings Australasian Road SafetyResearch Policing Education Conference, 14-16November, Wellington, New Zealand, Submitted PapersCD-ROM, 11p

Fildes, B., Corben, B., Newstead, S., Macaulay, J. &Gunatilaka, A. (2005) ‘Perceptual countermeasures tospeeding’, Proceedings 49th Annual MeetingAssociation for the Advancement of AutomotiveMedicine (AAAM), 12-14 September, Boston, USA

Fitzharris, M., Fildes, B., Charlton, J. & Tingvall, C.(2005) ‘The relationship between perceived crashresponsibility and post-crash depression’, Proceedings49th Annual Meeting Association for the Advancementof Automotive Medicine (AAAM), 12-14 September,Boston, USA

Hoareau, E., Newstead, S. & Cameron, M. (2005) ‘Astatistical evaluation of the default 50 km/h speed limitsin Victoria’, Proceedings Australasian Road SafetyResearch Policing Education Conference, 14-16November, Wellington, New Zealand, Submitted PapersCD-ROM, 10p

Keall, M. & Newstead, S. (2005) ‘Projecting effects ofimprovements in passive safety of the New Zealandlight vehicle fleet to 2010’, Proceedings AustralasianRoad Safety Research Policing Education Conference,14-16 November, Wellington, New Zealand, SubmittedPapers CD-ROM, 11p

Logan, D., Scully, J. & Fildes, B. (2005) ‘A comparison ofcrash and injury outcomes between older and newervehicles in single and multiple impact crashes usingAustralian in-depth data’, Proceedings CanadianMultidisciplinary Road Safety Conference XV, 5-8 June,Fredericton, New Brunswick, CD-ROM, 16p

Logan, D., Scully, J. & Fildes, B. (2005) ‘An evaluation ofthe risk of brain injury for real-world crashes involvingoccupants of passenger vehicles in ANCIS’,Proceedings Australasian Road Safety ResearchPolicing Education Conference, 14-16 November,Wellington, New Zealand, Submitted Papers CD-ROM,11p

Mulvihill, C. & Haworth, N. (2005) ‘A survey of the crashcharacteristics of older motorcyclists’, ProceedingsAustralasian Road Safety Research Policing EducationConference, 14-16 November, Wellington, NewZealand, Submitted Papers CD-ROM, 11p

Mulvihill, C. & Haworth, N. (2005) ‘Using the internet tocollect survey data. Lessons from a survey of olderriders in Australia’, Proceedings Australasian RoadSafety Research Policing Education Conference, 14-16November, Wellington, New Zealand, Submitted PapersCD-ROM, 12p

Newstead, S. & Watson, L. (2005) ‘Trends incrashworthiness of the New Zealand vehicle fleet’,Proceedings Australasian Road Safety ResearchPolicing Education Conference, 14-16 November,Wellington, New Zealand, Submitted Papers CD-ROM,13p

Oxley, J., Charlton, J., Koppel, S., Scully, J. & Fildes, B.(2005) ‘Crash risk of older female drivers - contributingfactors’, Proceedings 49th Annual AAAM Conference,12-14 September, Boston, USA

Oxley, J., Corben, B., Charlton, J., Fildes, B. &Rothengatter, T. (2005) ‘Creating a safe environment forolder cyclists: lessons learnt from a review of ‘bestpractice’ measures’, Proceedings Road Safety on FourContinents Conference, Warsaw, Poland

Regan, M., Stephan, K., Mitsopoulos, E., Young, K.,Triggs, T. & Tomasevic, N. (2005) ‘The effect on driverworkload, attitudes and acceptability of in-vehicleIntelligent Transport Systems: selected final results fromthe TAC SafeCar project’, Proceedings AustralasianRoad Safety Research Policing Education Conference,14-16 November, Wellington, New Zealand, SubmittedPapers CD-ROM, 11p


Regan, M., Young, K., Triggs, T., Tomasevic, N. &Mitsopoulos, E. (2005) ‘Effects on driving performanceof In-Vehicle Intelligent Transport Systems: final resultsof the Australian TAC SafeCar project’, ProceedingsAustralasian Road Safety Research Policing EducationConference, 14-16 November, Wellington, NewZealand, Submitted Papers CD-ROM, 12p

Salmon, P., Regan, M. & Johnston, I. (2005) ‘A systemsperspective on road user error in Australia: Swisscheese and the road transport system’, ProceedingsAustralasian Road Safety Research Policing EducationConference, 14-16 November, Wellington, NewZealand, Submitted Papers CD-ROM, 11p

Salmon, P., Stephan, K., Lenné, M. & Regan, M. (2005)‘Cognitive work analysis and road safety: potentialapplications in road transport’, Proceedings AustralasianRoad Safety Research Policing Education Conference,14-16 November, Wellington, New Zealand, SubmittedPapers CD-ROM, 14p

Symmons, M. & Haworth, N. (2005) ‘Characteristics oftaxi crashes in New South Wales’, ProceedingsAustralasian Road Safety Research Policing EducationConference, 14-16 November, Wellington, NewZealand, Submitted Papers CD-ROM, 12p

Symmons, M., Haworth, N. & Mulvihill, C. (2005)‘Characteristics of Police and other emergency vehiclecrashes in New South Wales’, Proceedings AustralasianRoad Safety Research Policing Education Conference,14-16 November, Wellington, New Zealand, SubmittedPapers CD-ROM, 11p

Ton, T. T., Smith, N., Haworth, N. & Regan, M. (2005)‘Development of an in-vehicle eco-drive agent forsupporting fuel efficient driving’, Proceedings 12th WorldCongress on Intelligent Transport Systems, 6-10November, San Francisco, USA, CD-ROM, pp11

Other Conference PublicationsCharlton, J., Fildes, B., Koppel, S., Muir, C., Scully, J.,Andrea, D. & Hammer, M. (2005) ‘Visual searchpatterns in older and younger drivers’, ProceedingsAustralasian Road Safety Research Policing EducationConference, 14-16 November, Wellington, NewZealand, Submitted Papers CD-ROM, 10p

Day, L., Voaklander, D., Sim, M., Wolfe, R., Stathakis,V., Langley, J., Ozanne-Smith, J. & Dosman, J. (2005)‘Challenges in recruiting study participants throughhospital emergency departments: the Farm Injury RiskAmong Men study.’ October, AustralasianEpidemiological Association Annual Conference,Newcastle, Published abstract. AustralasianEpidemiologist, 12(3)

Fildes, B., Fitzharris, M., Logan, D. & Gabler, H. C.(2005) ‘Side impact crashes and countermeasures’,Proceedings Fourth International Forum of AutomotiveTraffic Safety, October, Changsha, China

Fildes, B., Linder, A., Douglas, C., Digges, K., Morgan,R., Pintar, F., Yogandan, N., Gabler, H. C., Duma, S.,Stitzel, J., Bostrom, O., Sparke, L., Smith, S. & Newland,C. (2005) ‘Occupant protection in farside crashes’,Proceedings 19th International Technical Conference onthe Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV), Washington,D.C., Paper No. 05-299

Fitzharris, M., Fildes, B., Charlton, J. & Tingvall, C.(2005) ‘The relationship between perceived crashresponsbility and depression severity 6-months post-discharge following a traffic crash’, November, NTRITrauma Research Symposium, [poster]

Fitzharris, M., Fildes, B., Charlton, J. & Tingvall, C.(2005) ‘Short-term quality of life differences in survivorsof road crashes with and without fractures of the lowerextremity’, Proceedings 49th Annual MeetingAssociation for the Advancement of AutomotiveMedicine (AAAM), 12-14 September, Boston, USA,[poster]

Franklyn, M., Logan, D., Hillard, P. & Fildes, B. (2005)‘Full crash test reconstruction and analysis of four real-world impacts’, Proceedings Australasian Road SafetyResearch Policing Education Conference, 14-16November, Wellington, New Zealand, Submitted PapersCD-ROM, 12p

Gabler, H. C., Fitzharris, M., Scully, J., Fildes, B.,Digges, K. & Sparke, L. (2005) ‘Far side impact injuryrisk for belted occupants in Australia and the UnitedStates’, Proceedings Nineteenth InternationalConference on Enhanced Safety of Vehicles, June,Washington, DC, Paper No. 05-0420-O

Haworth, N. (2005) ‘Safety behaviours in fleet vehicledrivers’, Proceedings Safety in Action Conference, 21-23 March, Melbourne, [invited paper]

Hosking, S., Young, K. & Regan, M. (2005) ‘The effectsof text messaging on young novice driver performance’,Proceedings International Conference on DriverDistraction, 2-3 June, Sydney

Koppel, S., Langford, J., Charlton, J., Fildes, B., Frith, B.& Newstead, S. (2005) ‘Assessing older driver’s fitnessto drive allowing for a low mileage bias: using theGRIMPS screening test’, Proceedings AustralasianRoad Safety Research Policing Education Conference,14-16 November, Wellington, New Zealand, SubmittedPapers CD-ROM, 11p

Langford, J. (2005) ‘Setting speed limits using the SafeSystem approach’, Proceedings Australasian RoadSafety Research Policing Education Conference, 14-16November, Wellington, New Zealand, Submitted PapersCD-ROM, 11p

Langford, J. & Koppel, S. (2005) ‘A tale of two surveys:explaining older drivers’ low mileage bias’, ProceedingsAustralasian Road Safety Research Policing EducationConference, 14-16 November, Wellington, NewZealand, Submitted Papers CD-ROM, 11p


Lenné, M. & Corben, B. (2005) ‘Modifications to trafficsignal operation to improve safety for alcohol affectedpedestrians’, Proceedings Australasian Road SafetyResearch Policing Education Conference, 14-16November, Wellington, New Zealand, Submitted PapersCD-ROM, 7p

Linder, A., Douglas, C., Clark, A., Fildes, B., Yang, J. &Otte, D. (2005) ‘Mathematical simulations of real-worldpedestrian-vehicle collisions’, Proceedings 19thInternational Technical Conference on the EnhancedSafety of Vehicles (ESV), Washington, D.C., Paper No.05-285

MacBean, C., Ashby, K. & Taylor, D. (2005) ‘MammalBite Injuries: Emergency Department Presentations inVictoria, Australia 1998-2004’, ‘Resuscitate’ ACEM 0522nd Annual Scientific Meeting of the AustralasianCollege for Emergency Medicine, Melbourne, [poster],20-25 November

Mitsopoulos, E., Triggs, T. & Regan, M. (2005)‘Investigating the calibration ability of young novicedrivers relative to experienced drivers: preliminaryfindings from a driver simulator study’, ProceedingsAustralasian Road Safety Research Policing EducationConference, 14-16 November, Wellington, NewZealand, Submitted Papers CD-ROM, 10p

Regan, M. (2005) ‘Intelligent vehicle safety research:overview of an Australian research program’,Proceedings 2005 Intelligent Vehicles and RoadInfrastructure conference, 16-17 February, Melbourne,CD ROM

Regan, M. (2005) ‘New vehicle technologies and fleetsafety’, Proceedings Safety in Action 2005 Conference,21-23 March, Melbourne, CD-ROM

Regan, M., Lenné, M., Triggs, T., Johnston, I. &Hayward, B. (2005) ‘Aviation and road safety research inAustralia: exploiting cross-modal synergies’,Proceedings Safety in Action Conference, 21-23 March,Melbourne

Regan, M., Salmon, P., Mitsopoulos, E., Anderson, J. &Edquist, J. (2005) ‘Crew resource management andyoung driver safety’, Proceedings Human Factors andErgonomics Society 49th Annual Meeting, 26-30September, Orlando, Florida

Regan, M., Young, K., Triggs, T., Tomasevic, N.,Mitsopoulos, E., Tierney, P., Healy, D., Connelly, K. &Tingvall, C. (2005) ‘Final results of a long-termevaluation of Intelligent Speed Adaptation, FollowingDistance Warning and Seatbelt Reminder Systems:System and interactive effects’, Proceedings 12th WorldCongress on ITS, 6-10 November, San Francisco, USA,CD-ROM

Salmon, P., Stanton, N., Walker, G., Baber, C. & Green,D. (2005) ‘The human factors methods matrix: A tool forintegrating HF methods’, Proceedings HCI 2005, 22-27July, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Scully, J. & Fildes, B. (2005) ‘An evaluation ofintersection characteristics associated with crashes atintersections in Melbourne CBD’, ProceedingsAustralasian Road Safety Research Policing EducationConference, 14-16 November, Wellington, NewZealand, Submitted Papers CD-ROM, 13p

Stanton, N., Baber, C., McMaster, R., Salmon, P. &Walker, G. (2005) ‘Distributed and overlappingsituational awareness in dynamic systems’, ProceedingsHCI 2005, 22-27 July, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Stewart, R., Salmon, P., Kay, A., Wells, L., Mock, M.,Tatlock, K., Harris, D., Stanton, N., Baber, C. &Houghton, R. (2005) ‘HFI for future C4I in the RAF’,Proceedings HCI 2005, 22-27 July, Las Vegas, Nevada,USA

Triggs, T. (2005) ‘Reaction time of drivers on the road:faster drivers initiate more rapid braking’, ProceedingsRoad Safety on Four Continents Conference, October,Warsaw

Walker, G., Stanton, N., Gibson, H., Baber, C. & Salmon,P. (2005) ‘“Reading you loud and clear”; Analysing therole of communications technology in supportingsituational awareness in live C4I applications’,Proceedings HCI 2005, 22-27 July, Las Vegas, Nevada,USA

Other Published ReportsCandappa, N., Larsson, M. & Corben, B. (2005)‘Flexible wire barriers along high-speed roads - alifesaving opportunity’, In J. Langford and B. Fildes[Eds.], Australian Road Safety Handbook: Volume 3,AP-R275/05, pp.40-45, Austroads

Day, L. & Rechnitzer, G. (2005) Safe access platformsfor tractors, Rural Industries Research andDevelopment Corporation (RIRDC), No 04/180

Fildes, B., Langford, J., Andrea, D. & Scully, J. (2005)Balance between harm reduction and mobility in settingspeed limits: A feasibility study, Austroads, Report No.AP-R272/05

Langford, J. (2005) ‘Fleet safety - road safety’s nextsilver bullet?’ In J. Langford and B. Fildes [Eds.],Australian Road Safety Handbook: Volume 3, AP-R275/05, pp.24-30, Austroads

Langford, J. (2005) ‘Why we continue to under-countthe road toll’, In J. Langford and B. Fildes [Eds.],Australian Road Safety Handbook: Volume 3, AP-R275/05, pp.1-7, Austroads

Langford, J., Andrea, D., Fildes, B., Williams, T. & Hull,M. (2005) Assessing responsibility for older drivers’crashes, Austroads, AP-R265/05

Langford, J. & Fildes, B. (2005) Australian Road SafetyHandbook: Volume 3, Austroads, AP-R275/05

Symmons, M. (2005) ‘Improving heavy vehicle safety’,In J. Langford and B. Fildes [Eds.], Australian RoadSafety Handbook: Volume 3, AP-R275/05, pp.8-16,Austroads


Sponsor/Consultant Reports(restricted access)Ashby, K., Fox, B., Ozanne-Smith, J., Brennan, C. &Wenzel, J. (2005), Investigating the over-representationof older persons in Do-It-Yourself home maintenanceinjury and barriers to prevention, Monash UniversityAccident Research Centre, Report for the VictorianDepartment of Human Services and The Ian PotterFoundation

Candappa, N., Corben, B., Triggs, T. & Lenné, M.(2005), Safer intersection solutions - targeting crashtypes in Victoria with no ready solutions, MonashUniversity Accident Research Centre, Contract report toVicRoads

Candappa, N., Fotheringham, N., Lenné, M., Corben, B.& Johansson, C. (2005), Evaluation of an alternativepedestrian treatment at a roundabout, MonashUniversity Accident Research Centre, Contract report forthe City of Port Phillip

Fotheringham, N., Lenné, M., Logan, D. & Haworth, N.(2005), A targeted review of the use and perceivedsafety benefits associated with fitting seat belts ontrains, Monash University Accident Research Centre,Report prepared for the Department of Infrastructure

Haworth, N., Lenné, M. & Mulvihill, C. (2005), Interimevaluation of drug driving testing program, MonashUniversity Accident Research Centre, Report toVictorian Department of Justice

Haworth, N., Newstead, S. & Brennan, C. (2005),Benefit to cost estimates for increasing the safetyspecifications of VicFleet vehicles, Monash UniversityAccident Research Centre, Report prepared forTransport Accident Commission

Haworth, N., Regan, M., Tomasevic, N. & Stephan, K.(2005), Development of a scientific methodology forestablishing over-speed limit thresholds for theIntelligent Access Program (IR-101/05). Austroads,Sydney, Internal Report

Hosking, S., Regan, M., Triggs, T., Horberry, T. & Young,K. (2005), The effects of flashing amber arrow turncontrol traffic signals on pedestrian safety, MonashUniversity Accident Research Centre, Report to RTANSW

Johnston, I., Corben, B., Triggs, T., Candappa, N. &Lenné, M. (2005), Reducing serious injury and deathfrom run-off-road crashes in Victoria - turning knowledgeinto action, Monash University Accident ResearchCentre, Contract report to Royal Automobile Club ofVictoria (RACV) Ltd.

Langford, J., Fotheringham, N. & Corben, B. (2005),Speed limits in school zones, shopping strips and ruraltowns - a desktop review, Monash University AccidentResearch Centre, Contract report to VicRoads

Langford, J., Koppel, S., Charlton, J., Fildes, B. & Oxley,J. (2005), Explaining the association between mileagedriven and crash risk for older drivers, MonashUniversity Accident Research Centre, Contract report forVicRoads

Lenné, M., Corben, B. & Stephan, K. (2005), Evaluationof the ‘Dwell-on-Red’ countermeasure for intoxicatedpedestrians, Monash University Accident ResearchCentre, Report to VicRoads

Lenné, M., Fotheringham, N. & Corben, B. (2005),Exploring a legal definition of intoxication based on BAC,Monash University Accident Research Centre, Contractreport for VicRoads

Lenné, M., Salmon, P., Regan, M., Haworth, N. &Fotheringham, N. (2005), The AVSAFE Researchproject: Stage 1-Review of General Aviation accidentand incident reporting to inform database development,Monash University Accident Research Centre, Report toAviation Safety Foundation of Australia, ATSB, BHPBilliton and Civil Aviation safety Authority

Oxley, J. & Corben, B. (2005), Pedestrian safety andvehicle speeds - Clayton Campus, Contract reportprepared for Monash University Facilities and Services

Ozanne-Smith, J., Cassell, E., Clapperton, A.,Gunatilaka, A., Watson, W. & Brennan, C. (2005),Victorian Injury Prevention Strategy 2005 - 2010,Monash University Accident Research Centre,Discussion paper and draft strategy prepared for theVictorian Department of Human Services

Regan, M., Mitsopoulos, E., Triggs, T., Young, K.,Duncan, C. & Godley, S. T. (2005), Provus’ discrepancyevaluation of the DriveSmart novice driver CD-ROMtraining product, Monash University Accident ResearchCentre, Report to TAC

Regan, M., Triggs, T., Young, K., Tomasevic, N.,Mitsopoulos, E., Stephan, K. & Tingvall, C. (2005), On-Road Evaluation of Intelligent Speed Adaptation,Following Distance Warning and Seatbelt ReminderSystems: Final Results of the Australian TAC SafeCarProject. Volume 1, Monash University AccidentResearch Centre, Report to Victorian Transport AccidentCommission

Regan, M., Triggs, T., Young, K., Tomasevic, N.,Mitsopoulos, E., Stephan, K. & Tingvall, C. (2005), On-Road Evaluation of Intelligent Speed Adaptation,Following Distance Warning and Seatbelt ReminderSystems: Final Results of the Australian TAC SafeCarProject. Volume 2: Appendices, Monash UniversityAccident Research Centre, Report to VictorianTransport Accident Commission

Regan, M., Young, K. & Johnston, I. (2005), Review ofknowledge relevant to the terms of reference of theParliamentary Road safety Committee Inquiry into driverdistraction, Monash University Accident ResearchCentre, Report to VicRoads


Regan, M., Young, K., Jontof-Hutter, Triggs, T.,Tomasevic, N. & Hosking, S. (2005), Effect of IntelligentSpeed Adaptation on experienced and inexperienceddrivers: A simulator study, Monash University AccidentResearch Centre, Report to TAC

Salmon, P., Lenné, M., Stephan, K. & Regan, M. (2005),Cognitive Work Analysis: Potential applications in theroad transport domain, Monash University AccidentResearch Centre, MUARC Strategic DevelopmentProgram

Salmon, P., Regan, M. & Johnston, I. (2005), Humanerror and road transport: Phase 1 Literature review,Monash University Accident Research Centre, Report toAustralian Transport Safety Bureau

Salmon, P., Regan, M. & Johnston, I. (2005), Humanerror and road transport: Phase 2: A framework for anerror tolerant road transport system, Monash UniversityAccident Research Centre, Report to AustralianTransport Safety Bureau

Salmon, P., Regan, M. & Johnston, I. (2005), Humanerror and road transport: Phase 3 Pilot study design,Monash University Accident Research Centre, Report toAustralian Transport Safety Bureau

Salmon, P., Regan, M. & Young, K. (2005), Bus driverdistraction: Analysis of risk for State Transit AuthorityNSW Bus drivers, Monash University AccidentResearch Centre, Report to State Transit Authority ofNSW

Sherrard, J., Sweidan, M., Robinson, J., Killian, J.,Brennan, C. & Ozanne-Smith, J. (2005), Barriers to childpoisoning prevention: Why does child resistantpackaging fail?, Monash University Accident ResearchCentre, Report for the Victorian Department of HumanServices

Short, A. & Ozanne-Smith, J. (2005), Cerebro-spinalinjury during competitive dive-in, Monash UniversityAccident Research Centre, Report for SwimmingAustralia

Stephan, K., Lenné, M. & Corben, B. (2005), Theeffectiveness of repeater speed signs in the MelbourneCBD: literature review to inform study design, MonashUniversity Accident Research Centre, Contract report forTransport Accident Commission

Watson, W., Regan, M. & Haworth, N. (2005), Driver-specific monitoring devices - survey of current status,Monash University Accident Research Centre, Report toNational Transport Commission

Young, K., Regan, M. & Salmon, P. (2005), Mobilephone use while driving: Options paper to inform Oricapolicy, Monash University Accident Research Centre,Report to Orica Consumer Products

PresentationsAshby, K. (2005) ‘Injury profile for the City of GreaterShepparton’, Community Safety in Shepparton, VSCNNetwork Meeting and Practitioner Workshop, 30 August

Beck, D., Ozanne-Smith, J. & Sherrard, J. (2005) ‘Injuryresulting from glass in furniture: why are there noregulations?’ 36th Public Health Association of AustraliaAnnual Conference, Perth, 25-28 September

Brooks, B. (2005) ‘Text Mining Victorian WorkersCompensation data for strategic injury prevention usingSAS Text Miner’, WorkCover’s SAS analysts and policyofficers, Melbourne, 20 May

Charlton, J. & Koppel, S. (2005) ‘Visual Search patternsin Younger and Older Drivers’, RMIT School of HealthSciences (Division of Psychology and Disability Studies)Research Colloquia, 11 August

Charlton, J. & Williams, T. (2005) ‘Workshop on olderroad users’, U3A Network-Victoria Conference,Melbourne, 2 June

Clay, F. (2005), Vocational Strategies Group, TransportAccident Commission, 10 February

Corben, B. & Oxley, J. (2005) ‘Road safety for the localcommunity: Mobility, safety and independence’, Strengthtraining group [Invited presentation], Caulfield Hospital, 1July

Day, L. (2005), Monash University Advancing Women inResearch Seminar Series, 1 June

Day, L. (2005) ‘Challenges in recruiting studyparticipants through hospital emergency departments:the Farm Injury Risk among Men study’, Seminar for theInstitute of Agricultural Rural and Environmental Health,University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada., 9December

Day, L. (2005) ‘MUARC’s farm injury preventionresearch program’, Farm500 workshop hosted by theNational Trauma Research Institute, Alfred Hospital, 21July

Day, L. (2005) ‘Researcher’s perspective on injury dataneeds’, Adding Value to Injury Surveillance DataSystems in Victoria Workshop convened by MUARC, 23May

Day, L. (2005) ‘Sowing the seeds for reducing theburden of farm injury’, Mildura Hospital Seminar Series,2 March

Ehsani, J. P. & Ozanne-Smith, J. (2005) ‘Childhoodinjury mortality in the Western Pacific Region and SouthEast Asia’, 36th Public Health Association of AustraliaAnnual Conference, Perth, 25-28 September

Fildes, B. (2005) ‘Speed limits and crashes’, DIER inTasmania, Tasmania, 8 July

Fitzharris, M. (2005) ‘Consequences of traffic crashinjuries - a role for perceived responsibility, pain &coping strategies on depression severity’, AlfredPsychiatry Research Centre, 21 October


Fitzharris, M. (2005) ‘Helping to design safer vehicles:Trauma research at MUARC’, LaTrobe UniversityGraduate Nursing School, National Trauma ResearchInstitute, The Alfred, 19 October

Fitzharris, M. (2005) ‘Injuries in real world crashes:benefits of Australian Design Rule 69 (Full frontal crashprotection) and airbags in frontal crashes’,Neurosurgical Interest Group, The Alfred, Melbourne,17 May

Franklyn, M. & Allsopp, C. (2005) ‘AIS Course’, VictorianTrauma Foundation - Centre for Trauma Research andPractise, Alfred Hospital, 2-3 June

Gunatilaka, A. (2005) ‘Intelligent devices for forkliftsafety’, Matex 2005 Conference, Melbourne ExhibitionCentre, 10 May

Haworth, N. (2005) ‘Barriers to improved light and heavyvehicle fleet safety and how to overcome them’,Australasian Road Safety Research Policing EducationConference Workshop on Heavy and light vehiclesafety, Wellington, 16 November

Haworth, N. (2005) ‘Developing strategies to make adifference’, CARRS-Q, Queensland, 15 February

Haworth, N. (2005) ‘Motorcycle safety research atMUARC’, Executive Committee of the MotorcycleIndustry Division of the Victorian Automotive Chamber ofCommerce, [invited presentation], 21 July

Haworth, N. (2005) ‘Reducing travel speeds’, InsuranceCommission of Western Australia Road Safety Forum2005, Perth, 11 November

Haworth, N. (2005) ‘What can the road, rail, aviation andmaritime sectors learn from each other?’ HumanFactors in Transport, Sydney, 24 August

Haworth, N. & Johnston, I. (2005) ‘Drink driving crashes– Why has progress stalled?’ Draegersafety Drug &Alcohol Conference 2005, Melbourne, 10 November

Haworth, N. & Johnston, I. (2005) ‘Why isn’t theinvolvement of alcohol in road crashes in Australialower?’ Victorian Association of Drink and DriverServices Professional Development Forum, Melbourne,30 September

Johnston, I. (2005) ‘From great ideas to greatoutcomes’, Trafinz Conference, Wellington, NewZealand, 10 August

Johnston, I. (2005) ‘Reducing Road Trauma - from bestintentions to best practice’, Thinking Drinking: Achievingcultural change by 2020, Melbourne [invited paper],23 February

Johnston, I. (2005) ‘Safety impacts of the evolution oflight materials in vehicle construction’, 2005 EmergingTransport Technology Conference: The future of themotor car!, Adelaide, 5 October

Johnston, I. (2005) ‘Speed Management “Down Under”’,National Forum on Speeding, Governors HighwaySafety Association, Washington, USA, 15-16 June

Koppel, S. & Oxley, J. (2005) ‘Assessing older drivers’fitness to drive’, VFPM meeting [Invited presentation],Phillip Island, 2 August

Koppel, S., Oxley, J. & Charlton, J. (2005) ‘Older roaduser issues’, CWA Meeting, Tecoma, [Invitedpresentation], 27 April

Langford, J. (2005) ‘Aspects of older driver crashes’,Older Road User Forum, Melbourne, 1 August

Langford, J. (2005) ‘Austroads Safe System’, AustralianRoad Safety College Workshop, Adelaide, SouthAustralia, 19 October

Logan, D. (2005) ‘Crash Investigations’, PostgradDiploma in Forensic Science (Identification SciencesElective), Latrobe University, 26 July

Brian Fildes presenting at the FourthInternational Forum of Automotive Traffic

Safety in China


Logan, D. (2005) ‘Real World Crash Investigations’,Mechanical Engineering final year students, MonashUniversity, 7 March

Logan, D. (2005) ‘Real World Crash Investigations’,Year 10 Science students, Rowville Secondary College,5 October

Logan, D. (2005) ‘Real World Crash Investigations and4WDs’, Rotary Club, Croydon, 6 December

Oxley, J. (2005) ‘Assessing older drivers’ fitness todrive’, VFPM meeting [Invited presentation], Colac, 19October

Oxley, J. (2005) ‘Older road user research at MUARC’,Lunch-time seminar series [Invited presentation],Department of Psychology, Swinburne University, 18May

Ozanne-Smith, J. (2005) ‘Drowning prevention - role ofMUARC WHO Collaborating Centre for Violence,Injuries and Disabilities’, International Workshop onDrowning Prevention in China, Beijing, 24-25 November

Ozanne-Smith, J. (2005) ‘Injury surveillance andprevention: international experience’, Centre for DiseaseControl, Zhejiang Province, PR China, 12 April

Ozanne-Smith, J. (2005) ‘Knowing what works’, WHOChild Injury Prevention Planning Meeting, Geneva, 31March

Ozanne-Smith, J. (2005) ‘MUARC activities explicitlyrelated to capacity building’, WHO consultation onstrategic planning and collaboration in capacity buildingfor injury prevention and control, Geneva, 30 March

Ozanne-Smith, J. (2005) ‘Skills development for injuryprevention’, WHO consultation on strategic planning andcollaboration in capacity building for injury preventionand control, Geneva, 30 March

Regan, M. (2005) ‘Driver distraction’, Seminar, WesternAustralian Chapter of the Australasian College of RoadSafety [Keynote presentation], Perth, 12 December

Regan, M. (2005) ‘Driver distraction, road userbehaviour and human factors’, Institute ofTransportation Engineers 2005 Annual Meeting andExhibit [Invited presentation], Melbourne, 7-10 August

Regan, M. (2005) ‘Driver distraction: Reflections on thepast, present and future.’ International Conference onDriver Distraction [Keynote address], Parliament House,Sydney, 2-3 June

Regan, M. (2005) ‘Intelligent technologies in vehicles -human factors and safety issues’, LaTrobe University.Ergonomics and Systems Safety Unit, [Invitedpresentation], 1 September

Regan, M. (2005) ‘Intelligent Transport Systems andsimulation research at MUARC’, Australian Institute ofTraffic Planning and Management Technical Forum,Melbourne, 16 May

Regan, M. (2005) ‘Intelligent Transport Systems: Thehuman factor’, Car Com is back: media and industrylaunch by Intelematices Australia, Melbourne, 22 March

Regan, M. (2005) ‘In-vehicle driver distractions’, DriverFatigue and Distraction Workshop, Australasian Roadsafety Research, Policing and Education conference[Invited presentation], Wellington, New Zealand, 16November

Regan, M. (2005) ‘New vehicle technologies: humanfactors and distraction’, Human Factors andErgonomics Society of Australia Ergonomic Networkand Professional Development Seminar [Invitedpresentation], Melbourne, 11 October

Regan, M. (2005) ‘New vehicle technologies: humanfactors and safety issues’, Transport VictoriaConference, Melbourne, 10 November

Regan, M. (2005) ‘Removing obstacles to thedeployment of vehicle e-safety technologies’, SmartDemo 2005 Exhibition and Conference [Invitedpresentation], Adelaide, 29-30 September

Regan, M. (2005) ‘TAC SafeCar project: Aims, methodsand findings’, Professional Development Seminar,Transport Accident Commission Resolution Division,[Invited presentation], 8 June

Regan, M. (2005) ‘Technology, distraction and the futureof driver training and education.’ Professional DriverTraining Association of Victoria Annual Conference[Invited presentation], Melbourne, 9 October

Regan, M. (2005) ‘Vehicle Intelligent Transport systemsand driver distraction’, Human Factors in Transport,Sydney, [Invited presentation], 23-24 August

Regan, M. (2005) ‘Vehicle Intelligent Transport Systems:The Human Factor’, Engineers Australia (EducationWeek), Melbourne, 19 August

Sharwood, L. (2005) ‘Roadside to resuscitation toroadside’, The Alfred Hospital Research Week, [poster],November

Sharwood, L. (2005) ‘Roadside to resuscitation toroadside’, NTRI Trauma Research Symposium, [poster],November

Staines, C. (2005) ‘Preventing drowning deaths: learningfrom the Victorian experience’, International Workshopon Drowning Prevention in China, Beijing, 24-25November

Watson, W. (2005) ‘Are population-based burden ofinjury measures valid for priority setting?’ Injury RiskManagement Centre, University of New South Wales,Sydney, 11 November


Appendix CStaff Membership of Boards and Committees

• Association for the Advancement of AutomotiveMedicine, Chicago, Illinois, Scientific ProgramCommittee, Member (B. Fildes, J. Charlton)

• Association of Tertiary Education Management (N.Paramanis)

• Australian Institute of Management (N. Paramanis)• Australasian College of Road safety (Victorian Chapter),

Committee (J. Charlton, M. Regan)• Australian e-Safety Working Group, Chair/Member

(I. Johnston, M. Regan)• Australian Government Department of Health and

Ageing, Clinical Classification and Coding Groups(CCCG), Member (J. Ozanne-Smith)

• Australian Injury Prevention Network, Member ExecutiveCommittee (L. Day)

• Australian Research Management Society (N.Paramanis)

• Brain Foundation Victoria, Board of Directors(J. Charlton)

• CEA/EC International Safety Rating Advisory Committee(SARAC), Munich, Germany, Members (M. Cameron,B. Fildes)

• Child and Youth Injury Prevention Alliance, Member(E. Cassell)

• City of Melbourne Injury Prevention Advisory Committee,Member (E. Cassell)

• Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources,Tasmanian Road Safety Council, Hobart, Tasmania,Member (B. Fildes)

• Farmsafe Australia National Reference Group for theSafety of Older Farmers Program (L. Day)

• Farmsafe Victoria, Victorian Farmers Federation,Member (L. Day)

• Fleet Safety Forum, Member (N. Haworth)• Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia,

National Awards Committee (T. Triggs)• International Journal of Injury Control and Safety

Promotion, Editorial Board (J. Ozanne-Smith, V. Routley)• Injury Prevention, Editorial Board (P. Vulcan, L. Day)• Injury Prevention Research Institutes of Australasia

(I. Johnston (Member), J. OzanneSmith (Chair))• International Organising Committee: 8th International

Level Crossing Symposium and Managing TrespassSeminar. Sheffield England. Member(E. C. Wigglesworth)

• International Organisation for Standardization (ISO)Technical Committee 22, Sub-Committee 13 -Ergonomics Applicable to Road Vehicles (M. Regan)

• International task Force on Vehicle Highway Automation,Member (M. Regan)

• International Working Group on Speed Control, Member(M. Regan)

• Journal of the Australasian College of Road Safety,Editorial Board, Member (M. Regan)

• Kidsafe Victoria Council, Member (E. Cassell)• Monash Ageing Research Advisory Committee

(J. Charlton, L. Day)• Monash University medical students selection panel,

Member (B. Fox)

• Monash University’s Roads and Traffic Sub-committee(B. Corben)

• National Farm Machinery Safety Reference Group(NFMSRG) convened by Farmsafe Australia, Member(L. Day, W. Baker)

• National Health and Medical Research Council HealthPartnerships Committee (L. Day)

• National Panel on the Biomechanics of Impact Injury(NPBII), Institution of Engineers Australia (A. Linder)

• Older People Injury Prevention Reference Groupconvened by the Victorian Department of HumanServices (L. Day)

• Road Engineering Association of Asia and Australasia,International Governing Council (I. Johnston)

• Road Safety Reference Group, Victoria, Member(I. Johnston)

• Road Safety Research Steering Group, Transit NewZealand, Corresponding Member (M. Cameron)

• Scientific Committee 8th World Conference on InjuryPrevention and Safety Promotion, Durban South Africa2006, Member (J. Ozanne-Smith)

• Smart Demo 2005 Intelligent Vehicle Trial andSymposium, Chair of Technical Program (M. Regan)

• Standards Australia Committee CS-072 Safety in HouseDesign (J. Ozanne-Smith)

• Standards Australia Committee SF 21*: Human Factors(M. Regan).

• Standards Australia Committee IT23*: Traffic Informationand Control Systems (M. Regan)

• Transport Accident Commission Ride Smart ReferenceGroup (M. Regan)

• Transport Industry Safety Group, Member (I. Johnston)• Transportation Research Board of the U.S. National

Academies. Committee AHB60 on Highway-Rail GradeCrossings. Washington D.C. Member(E. C. Wigglesworth)

• Victoria’s Speed Limits Advisory Group, convened byVicRoads (B. Corben)

• Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, BusinessLicensing, Tribunal Member (J. Ozanne-Smith)

• Victorian Department of Human Services EmergencyDepartment Information Systems Committee, Member(E. Cassell, K. Ashby)

• Victorian Farmers Federation, Member (W. Baker)• Victorian Motorcycle Advisory Council, Minister for

Transport, Member (N. Haworth)• Victorian Public Health Research and Education Council,

Member (J. Ozanne-Smith)• Victorian Public Health Training Scheme, Member (J.

Ozanne-Smith)• Victorian Safe Communities Network, Member Executive

(E. Cassell)• WHO international expert consultation on estimating the

economic burden of interpersonal violence, Geneva,Switzerland, April 4-5, 2005 (W. Watson)

• WHO World Report on Child and Adolescent InjuryPrevention, J. Ozanne-Smith (Co-editor)

Opposite: Linda Watson and Stuart Newsteaddiscuss the car safety rating data

Published byMonash University Accident Research CentreBuilding 70, Monash University Victoria 3800 Australia(Located on the Clayton Campus)Phone: (+61 3) 9905 4371 Fax: (+61 3) 9905 4363Email: [email protected]: www.monash.edu.au/muarcABN 12 377 614 012 CRICOS Provider No. 00008C

Annual report compiled and edited by Nicole ParamanisEditing assistance by Allison HardingLayout, design and compiliation assistance by Glenda Cairns

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Annual Report 2005 - Monash University · 2015-05-20 · Mr. David Healy General Manager, Road Safety, Transport Accident Commission Mr. Eric Howard General Manager, Road Safety,