Road safety among vulnerable populations

This research uses immersive VR and cognitive measures to improve hazard perception and road safety for vulnerable groups, including older pedestrians and young First Nations drivers, through targeted training and education programs.

Project One: The Road to Safer Walking

Older adult pedestrians are among the most vulnerable road users as they are overrepresented in crash statistics. Our research explores the decision-making skills of older adult pedestrians, by examining how their perceptual, cognitive and physical abilities predict their capacity to respond to road hazards. This work helps us understand the factors that influence road safety to develop a training program designed to improve these skills. In collaboration with the Australian Automobile Association and RMIT University, we are developing an online training program that will target improving the skills necessary for older adults to be safe pedestrians.

Funding: Improving Hazard Perception in Older Adult Pedestrians - $820,000. Funded by the Australian Automobile Association 2023

Project Two: Deadly Safe Driving

In Australia, First Nations peoples are underrepresented in the proportion of people with driver's licences and are three times more likely to die in road crashes than other Australians. Our project firstly aims to identify the facilitators and barriers to getting a driver's licence for young First Nations peoples and will design educational materials to support young people in getting a licence. Secondly, our project is developing a first of its kind virtual reality training program which targets improving driver hazard perception in rural and remote areas where young First Nations peoples are more likely to drive.

Funding: The First of Its Kind - A Virtual Reality Rural Driving Hazard Perception Training Program for Young First Nations Driver - $897,791.32 Funded by the National Road Safety Action Grants Program (2024)

Method/Approach

Collectively, our research investigates how drivers and pedestrians detect and respond to hazards using immersive virtual reality (VR) driving simulators equipped to capture eye-tracking and head movement information. These tools allow us to capture where people look, how they move, and how they react to hazards in realistic traffic situations. We combine this with a range of cognitive, perceptual, and physical measures to better understand the psychological and physical factors that influence road safety behaviours. By studying behaviour in complex environments, we aim to inform safer road design, driver training, and public education for vulnerable road users (drivers and pedestrians).

Team and collaborators

Australian Catholic University

• Dr Joanne Bennett
• Professor David Greene
• Dr Thomas McGuckian
• Dr Tina Whyte-Ball
• Dr Aydin Anic

Institute for Positive Psychology and Education (IPPE)

• Professor Rhonda Craven
• Professor Herb Marsh
• Dr Jenny McMullan
• Dr Chloe Gordon

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

• Professor Jonathan Duckworth
• Associate Professor Li Ping Thong
• Dr Michelle Chen
• Dr Luke Richardson
• Mr Ross Eldridge

Indigenous research partners

• Lawrence Perry as the Chief Executive Officer of the Wonnarua Nation Aboriginal Corporation (WNAC)
• Ashley Gordon, Director/Manager of the Gordon Driver Licensing Program
• Renee and Andrew Gillane from Key Driving School, First Nations driving instructors

Contact

Dr Joanne Bennett

Project lead for both projects

Email: joanne.bennett@acu.edu.au

Phone: (02) 9701 4398

Dr Aydin Anic

Research Associate - Project One

Email: aydin.anic@acu.edu.au

Dr Tina Whyte-Ball

Research Associate - Project Two

Email: tina.whyte-ball@acu.edu.au