Evaluating interventions to prevent serious road traffic crashes

Road traffic injuries are the second leading cause of hospitalised injury and injury-related deaths in Australia, and are estimated to cost the economy $27 billion annually. However, many of the road safety interventions in Australia have been implemented without rigorous scientific evaluation. This project will use a globally-unique data system of detailed crash, injury and long-term outcome data (using data from the Victorian State Trauma Registry, TAC, Victoria Police, and VicRoads). Through this data system, this project will evaluate existing and novel countermeasures to serious road traffic crashes, with a particular focus on vulnerable road users. Understanding the effectiveness of existing and novel countermeasures will inform policy development, infrastructure implementation and future road safety spending. It is anticipated that the outcomes of the project will save lives and reduce the occurrence of disabling road traffic injury in Australia. Top-up scholarship funding is available to outstanding candidates.