In this episode, we talk with Dr Ian Johnston who is a road safety expert with an exceptional history in road safety. Whilst Ian did not present at the Australasian Road Safety Conference, he kicks off this series with an insightful discussion on where we have come from in road safety as well as providing insights into what he thinks will help us on our pathway forward.
In this episode, we chatted with Dr Ingrid Johnston about what the Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS) does and the benefits members could receive from joining the ACRS, such as access to networking events and learning opportunities. Ingrid also discussed the exciting things that were planned for the 2024 Australasian Road Safety Conference.
We also met the first keynote speaker who appeared at the conference, Dr Amantha Imber. Amantha was an organisational psychologist and brought an interesting perspective to our Road Safety Conversations.
In this episode of the Road Safety Conversations podcast, host Kenn Beer chatted with Carla Hoorweg, CEO of ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program), about the critical role vehicle safety plays in reducing road fatalities and serious injuries. Carla explained ANCAP’s vehicle testing protocols and the challenges and opportunities in improving vehicle safety in Australia.
The discussion touched on ANCAP’s role in raising safety standards, future advancements in vehicle safety technologies, and encouraging manufacturers to reach higher levels of safety. Carla also highlighted the importance of using vehicle safety features to protect our most vulnerable road users.
In this episode of the Road Safety Conversations podcast, host Kenn Beer chatted with Dr Helen Wells, a Senior Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Keele and Director of the Roads Policing Academic Network. They discussed a range of topics including speed enforcement, the use of dash cams, attitudes toward road policing, and distracted driving. Helen explained the importance of enforcement in road safety, addressing our tolerance to risk.
The conversation also covered the efficacy of technology in enforcement, the limitations of such technologies, and the need for laws that genuinely reflected safety concerns. Helen emphasized the importance of combining education, enforcement, and engineering to create safer road environments. The episode concluded with a discussion about the Australasian Road Safety Conference 2024, where Helen presented as a keynote speaker.
Our final episode of Road Safety Conversations featured discussions with Dr Lars Ekman and Stuart Baird.
Dr Lars Ekman, a keynote speaker at the Australasian Road Safety Conference 2024, called in from Sweden to share his insights and learnings on the implementation of Vision Zero in Sweden, a country known for being a leader in road safety.
Stuart Baird, a Senior Transport Engineer at the City of Hobart, discussed the revitalisation of the Hobart waterfront and the challenges faced in creating safe and accessible spaces.
This podcast series was a great opportunity to unpack road safety topics while meeting the keynote speakers who presented at the Australasian Road Safety Conference 2024. Thank you for listening, and we encourage you to register for future conferences to hear more from experts in road safety.