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Public transport systems are vital services in urban environments. The design of these complex socio-technical systems is continuously evolving to accommodate larger populations, and their adaptation is essential in supporting the successful and sustainable development of cities and regions. An essential part of this adaptation includes working to increase passenger safety and to minimise their risk of injury. With this focus, key objectives of the current study were to identify the causes of slip, trip and fall (STF) incidents attributable to the rail user and to train and station characteristics. An investigation of historical STF records of 1,247 train and station incidents in two Australian jurisdictions was conducted. Various contributing factors to STF events were identified, including locations such as stairs, ramps, escalators, the train’s entry and exit step, doorway areas, and passenger running or rushing. A mixed-method field study was then conducted at three train stations and on trains. To further investigate the contributing factors, participants (N=40) wore an eye tracker as they navigated the stations and trains. The research illustrates that their continuous search for information, and a disconnect between the information needed and the information provided, might be a cause of passenger distraction and an increase in their risky behaviour. Therefore, we suggest that improvements in information design to reduce the high visual workload for passengers might also reduce the incidence of STFs.

Lane closures on multi-lane roads require drivers to transition safely to an open lane before passing the worksite. To reduce worker and driver injury risk, truck-mounted attenuators (TMAs) are often used to prevent vehicle work zone intrusions and reduce the severity of collisions. To maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of TMA use, it is necessary to determine how and when they should be deployed as well as the best supporting measures. The current research focuses on the effects of different traffic management plans (TMPs) on driver behavior. Three TMPs at night time highway work zones were examined: (1) two tail vehicles in the advance warning area, (2) three tail vehicles in the advance warning area, and (3) addition of a marked police car with flashing lights in the buffer area downstream of the TMA. Driver response to the different TMPs was assessed by measuring vehicle speeds at three points in the traffic management area and observing lane change and merging behaviors on the approach to the TMA. Analysis showed a positive effect of police presence in the buffer area on driver behavior: TMP3 produced a reduction of 8.4%–12.9% in proportions of vehicles exceeding the speed limit by at least 5 km/h when passing the TMA. TMP3 also appeared to produce a positive effect on merging behavior compared with the other layouts. Use of a third tail vehicle in the advance warning area was not found to produce any additional safety benefit and may have a detrimental effect.

To understand where driver training should focus to contribute to improving the safety of cyclists, this study compared bicycle-motor-vehicle (BMV) crashes involving novice drivers (under 25 years) with those involving experienced drivers in the Australian states of Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia. Novice drivers were involved in only a small proportion of BMV crashes and were not over-represented on a per-license basis. For both driver groups, most crashes happened on lower speed roads, at intersections, and during the day. In contrast to expectations, the distribution of types of BMV crashes differed little between experienced and novice drivers. The absence of major differences between experienced and novice drivers may result from learning opportunities being too infrequent in low-volume cycling countries, but this hypothesis needs further testing. A comparison between Queensland and Victoria showed three situations with a higher proportion of young driver crashes: in the evening in both states, Right through-opposing directions (Victoria only), and From footway-maneuvering (Queensland only). These patterns are likely to be indicative of young driver experiences. When their time on the road increases, so does their exposure to risk and to challenging driving conditions (e.g., driving in darkness). On the other hand, these patterns may also point to effects of legislation on young driver crashes, for instance cycling on the sidewalk in Queensland. The results suggest that training for novice drivers needs to supplement a wider strategy to improve cyclist safety (including infrastructure and traffic management improvements) and that training needs to be tailored to state-specific conditions.

• Separating cyclists and pedestrians from motor vehicles improves their safety but sharing paths exposes both to risk • Child and elderly pedestrians are more vulnerable in bicycle collisions • Pedestrians walking dogs, skateboarders and rollerbladers, and pedestrians using headphones or looking at smartphones pose risks to cyclists • Bicycles must have a working bell or horn in Australia and authorities recommend ringing to alert pedestrian

A national scoping study into mobile phone use while driving across Australia has been completed and the report can be downloaded from the link below. The researchers noted that the use of mobile phones and other mobile technologies has been increasing, and that the effects on driver distraction are of concern. At present, the available evidence regarding mobile phone use in crashes is limited. While hand-held mobile phone use is illegal in Australia, the use of legal hands-free systems in cars may also be contributing to crash risk. There is potential for automated enforcement to be explored, as well as technology which may reduce or block the use of mobile phones in vehicles, and these potential solutions need further development.

Authorities recommend that cyclists issue an auditory warning when overtaking pedestrians to reduce the risk of collision on shared infrastructure , however, little research has investigated this behaviour. An online survey of Queensland cyclists investigate d factors influencing the frequency of warning behaviours. Results suggest that demographic and cycle use characteristics may not play a large role, but that perceptions of what other cyclists do and expect of them, and expectation s that issuing a warning will reduce the risk of a collision with a pedestrian , may be more important . These findings may inform intervention campaigns to encourage safer use of shared infrastructure .

[Truncated abstract] This PhD project investigated the genetic epidemiology of melanocytic naevi in children of European ancestry between six and twelve years of age. Longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses were conducted to examine the association between counts of naevi on the back, face and arms, and selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of candidate melanoma susceptibility genes. Cutaneous malignant melanoma is a serious public health problem in Australia; the incidence of this cancer has been increasing steadily for many years here, and in other predominantly fair-skinned populations around the world. If diagnosed at an early stage, melanoma can be treated with a high level of success by excising the tumour. However, melanoma is resistant to radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy, and the prognosis is usually very poor if the tumour metastasises. After age and sun-exposure, having a large number of melanocytic naevi is the strongest and most consistent risk factor for melanoma. It has been hypothesised that naevi may be precursors of this cancer. Therefore, investigating their causes may give an insight in the aetiology of melanoma. An understanding of genetic effects and their interaction with the environment in disease processes may lead to the development of better preventive interventions. The current investigation was built upon the data collected by the Kidskin intervention study conducted in Perth, Western Australia between 1995 and 2001. This was jointly carried out by the University of Western Australia and Curtin University of Technology. The primary aim of this previous study was to investigate whether a school-based programme encouraging children to reduce their exposure to intense sunlight would be effective in reducing the number of naevi that they develop..., Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Western Australia, 2011