Monash Memo - 4 July 2001

Back to this edition's story list

New MUARC head to boost injury prevention

The Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) has appointed road safety expert Dr Ian Johnston as its new director.

The former ARRB Transport Research head and former Vicroads road safety director sees his new role at MUARC as an opportunity to draw together the full range of expertise in injury prevention research.

Dr Johnston (pictured) intends to lead the search for better ways to make Australians safer in cars, boats, planes and trains, in their homes and workplaces and during recreation.

"There are several safety research establishments around the country and internationally, but what makes MUARC unique is its ability to span a broad range of injury prevention strategies," he said.

"There are enormous synergies across the disciplines and areas of application, and each can learn from the other."

Dr Johnston nominated aviation and rail safety as fields where MUARC could make a significant new impact, drawing upon its established expertise in road safety.

"There is very little basic research going on into air and rail safety. Australia has a very good accident investigation system but we don't have a systematic program of injury prevention research," he said.

Dr Johnston said the Safe Car project, in which a prototype vehicle has been fitted with a range of high-tech safety measures, could be adapted for the aviation industry.

"It is not difficult, for example, to conceive of a GPS (Global Positioning System)-based system in two dimensions, vertical as well as horizontal, which could be a warning system for an aircraft wandering into controlled airspace."

MUARC's role as an industry leader and adviser both in Australia and internationally will also expand under Dr Johnston's leadership.

"I see us building very strong links with the Southeast Asian region. In safety terms, a lot of the developing countries from this region are where Australia was 30 years ago," he said.

"Road safety is an obvious area where we can make a contribution, but it is equally true of our other areas of injury research - farm and workplace safety, for example."

Since its formation in 1987, MUARC has worked with industry and government on more than 100 research projects that have led to major advances that have helped Australians go about their daily lives with a lower risk of injury.