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Introduction: Car ownership at early licensure for young drivers has been identified as a crash risk factor, but for how long this risk persists is unknown. This study examined crash hazard rates between young drivers with their own vehicle and those who shared a family vehicle at early licensure over 13 years., Methods: The DRIVE study, a 2003/04 survey of 20,806 young novice drivers in New South Wales, Australia was used to link to police crash, hospital and death records up to 2016. The first police-reported crash and crash resulting in hospitalisation/death was modelled via flexible parametric survival analysis by type of vehicle access at baseline (own vs. shared family vehicle)., Results: After adjusting for covariates, drivers with their own vehicle at early licensure had an almost 30 % increased hazard rate for any crash after one year (95 % CI:1.16-1.42) compared with those who only had access to a family car and this attenuated but remained significantly higher until year 7 (HR: 1.1, 95 % CI: >1.00-1.20). For crashes resulting in hospitalisation or death, an almost 15-times higher hazard (95 % CI: 1.40-158.17) was observed at the start of follow up, remaining 50 % to year 3 (95 % CI:1.01-2.18)., Conclusions: Parents and young drivers should be aware of the increased risks involved in car ownership at early licensure. Development of poorer driving habits has been associated with less parental monitoring at this time. Graduated Driving Licensing educators, researchers and stakeholders should seek to address this and to identify improved safety management options., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This paper formulates a control problem for systems that are affected by uncertain inputs and are vulnerable to risks as a chance-constrained optimization problem (CCP) with two chance-constraints (CCs). The first CC encompasses requirements of the normal operations of the system, whereas the second CC ensures the avoidance of risks associated with rare events. CCPs are in general difficult to solve, and this paper proposes a scenario-based optimization, testing, and improving algorithm to find approximate solutions to such problems within a stochastic model predictive control setting in a computationally cheap manner. The proposed approach is applied to a river control problem with flood avoidance, and the controller performed well in realistic simulations of the upper part of Murray River in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slower speed limits and regulated passing distances between motor vehicles and bicycles are now taken-for-granted in policies aimed at increasing cycling participation rates by addressing safety concerns in societies dominated by cars. Rather than understanding distance as a measurement between two points, this paper addresses the sensibilities of proximity. This paper draws on the work of Deleuze and Guattari and the related concepts of assemblage, territory and critical distance, to better understand how subjectivities emerge through sensations of proximity-in-motion while riding a bike. Attention turns to how experiences of risk underpin an encroachment on personal space that transforms the affective capacities of cycling bodies to ride specific routes along roads, footpaths and cycleways. The article engages with the situated cycling experiences of 28 individuals who ride for leisure and/or transport, who consented to participate in a cycling sensory ethnography in the small city of Wollongong, Australia. Greater appreciation of how sensations of antagonism triggered by proximity-in-cycling-motion, work to reinforce or challenge subjectivities may offer insights to improve actual and perceived safety for cyclists beyond fixed distance policy concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess and explain finely drivers' a priori acceptance of highly automated cars, this study used the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). Further, the current study sought to extend upon previous research to assess if intentions to use highly automated cars in the future differed according to country (i.e., Australia, France, & Sweden). These three countries were selected to enable comparisons of a priori acceptance between countries of differing levels of exposure to highly automated cars. Participants (N = 1563; 62.1 % male) were recruited in Australia (n = 558), France (n = 625), and Sweden (n = 380) to complete a 20 min online questionnaire. The findings differed according to country of residence. Individuals residing in France reported significantly greater intentions to use highly automated cars when they become publicly available compared to individuals residing in Australia and in Sweden. Of the TPB constructs entered at step 1 in the hierarchical regression, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control (capability and controllability) were significant predictors of intentions to use highly automated cars for participants residing in Australia and France. For participants residing in Sweden, only attitudes and PBC-capability were significant predictors of intentions. Of the UTAUT constructs entered at step 2, performance expectancy and effort expectancy were significant predictors of intentions for participants residing in France and only performance expectancy a significant predictor of intentions for participants residing in both Australia and Sweden. Age and gender did not add to the prediction of intentions when entered at step 3. However, pre-existing knowledge was a significant negative predictor of intentions when entered at step 3 for participants residing in Australia. Overall, the findings found some support for applying the TPB and UTAUT to assess intentions to use highly automated cars in different countries. The findings also highlight differences in a priori acceptance across countries and the factors which predict such acceptance., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Australia's first Mobility as a Service (MaaS) trial commenced in April 2019 in Sydney, running for two years. The objective of the trial is at least twofold – to assess interest in various MaaS subscription plans through bundling public transport, rideshare, car share and car rental with varying financial discounts and monthly subscription fees, in contrast to pay as you go (PAYG); and to assess the extent to which the use of the private car might change following a subscription to a monthly mobility bundle. This paper assesses the second objective by investigating the potential for changes in monthly car use in the presence of a MaaS program. There is no previous research that we are aware of that has tested the relationship between MaaS bundle uptake and private car use. The paper develops a joint discrete-continuous model system to explain the choice between monthly bundles and PAYG, and subsequently, the total monthly car kilometres. Controlling for monthly differences due to other influences such as seasonal travel activity, the findings suggest that the offered bundles do have an encouraging impact on private car use. Within the limits of what was tested under the Sydney MaaS trial, indicative evidence suggests that MaaS has the potential to change travel behaviour in a way aligned with sustainability objectives, although this evidence should not be taken as suggesting that MaaS is a commercially viable mobility strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collisions between different types of road users at intersections form a substantial component of the road toll. This paper presents an analysis of driver, cyclist, motorcyclist and pedestrian behaviour at intersections that involved the application of an integrated suite of ergonomics methods, the Event Analysis of Systemic Teamwork (EAST) framework, to on-road study data. EAST was used to analyse behaviour at three intersections using data derived from an on-road study of driver, cyclist, motorcyclist and pedestrian behaviour. The analysis shows the differences in behaviour and cognition across the different road user groups and pinpoints instances where this may be creating conflicts between different road users. The role of intersection design in creating these differences in behaviour and resulting conflicts is discussed. It is concluded that currently intersections are not designed in a way that supports behaviour across the four forms of road user studied. Interventions designed to improve intersection safety are discussed. Practitioner Summary:Intersection safety currently represents a key road safety issue worldwide. This paper presents a novel application of a framework of ergonomics methods for studying differences in road user behaviour at intersections. The findings support development of interventions that consider all road users as opposed to one group in isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A central feature of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is the design of subscription plans, also known as mobility bundles. Despite the recognition of the importance of MaaS bundles compared to the Pay as you Go (PAYG) option, there is very little guidance in the literature on what a bundle that is attractive for users and financially viable for the operator might look like. With very few actual MaaS offers in real markets, and a lack of transparency in sharing how successful the few MaaS offers have been, the call for trials has grown throughout the world. The Sydney MaaS trial is the first in Australia to introduce MaaS bundles, using an incremental strategy of adding a bundle each month after a PAYG familiarity period. This paper sets out a framework within which we designed and introduced five bundles, using a co-creation and data-driven approach to bundle design. We present the findings on how successful bundles were in attracting MaaS users away from PAYG, and what this uptake might mean for achieving goals such as reduced transport emissions, notably those associated with private car use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The ability to create a context is essential in writing the introduction of a research article (RA). This study explores the experience of engineering Ph.D. students in Australia, for whom English is an Additional Language (EAL), in using a problem-solution-based writing model to develop context-creating skills in writing RA introductions. Research question: What is the experience of engineering Ph.D. students in creating contexts through explicit learning of a problem-solution-based model for writing RA introductions? Literature review: Genre-based teaching is a common approach in the second language classroom. Recently, a genre-based approach for writing the introduction of engineering RAs has been proposed. The descriptive values of the model, PSP-CaRS, have been shown in corpus studies of published engineering RAs. However, its applicability has not been explored pedagogically. Methodology: Twenty-nine Ph.D. students were asked to respond to a questionnaire nine months after learning the model and reflect on their experience using it. The findings were then corroborated with data obtained from interviews, researcher observation, and writing samples. Results: The findings showed that the participants perceived PSP-CaRS to be useful and they continued using it after nine months despite some difficulties encountered in the writing process. Participants’ responses showed that explicit teaching of PSP-CaRS formed the foundation upon which more competent skills to create contexts were developed through practice and integration of subject knowledge. Discussion: Explicit teaching using a model can impart the basics of genre awareness to students. Once students gained an in-depth understanding of the model by working through their difficulties, they developed better genre awareness, and used the model adaptively to visualize and write their RA introductions. Conclusion: The results confirm the usefulness of the proposed model and reveal how a continuing process of learning and practicing using the model helps students develop their skills to create contexts and enhance their genre awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing global distribution of automobiles necessitates that the design of In-vehicle Information Systems (IVIS) is appropriate for the regions to which they are being exported. Differences between regions such as culture, environment and traffic context can influence the needs, usability and acceptance of IVIS. This paper describes two studies aimed at identifying regional differences in IVIS design needs and preferences across drivers from Australia and China to determine the impact of any differences on IVIS design. Using a questionnaire and interaction clinics, the influence of cultural values and driving patterns on drivers' preferences for, and comprehension of, surface- and interaction-level aspects of IVIS interfaces was explored. Similarities and differences were found between the two regional groups in terms of preferences for IVIS input control types and labels and in the comprehension of IVIS functions. Specifically, Chinese drivers preferred symbols and Chinese characters over English words and were less successful (compared to Australians) at comprehending English abbreviations, particularly for complex IVIS functions. Implications in terms of the current trend to introduce Western-styled interfaces into other regions with little or no adaptation are discussed., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.)

Various systems for rating secondary safety of particular makes and models of vehicles have been developed internationally. These measures generally evaluate crashworthiness (the ability of the vehicle to protect its own occupants in the event of a crash) separately from aggressivity (the harm a vehicle is liable to impose on other road users into which it crashes). This paper describes an approach using Australian and New Zealand data that combines these two facets of secondary safety into one 'Total Secondary Safety Index' estimated from real world crash outcomes. The Index estimates the risk of death or serious injury to all key road users in crashes involving light passenger vehicles across the full range of crash types. This paper describes the rationale and method for producing this Index, together with some estimates for common Australian and New Zealand makes and models of light passenger vehicles., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A survey of motor vehicle child restraint use found around 28% of children under the age of six using weight-inappropriate restraints. Many parents did not know when a child was likely to outgrow a booster seat nor the weight of their child, but they did know the child's age. Anthropometric data show that, if advice on restraint transition, given solely in terms of age (6 months, 4 years, 8 years) were followed in Australia, incorrect restraint selection would occur in 5% of children under the age of six. Further analysis suggests how rewriting the Standard could reduce this number. We present an argument for placing age-based transitions at the heart of the strategy to improve child restraint compliance. This may be superior to one based on the child's weight or other anthropometric measurement. Our argument may be summarized as follows: 1 Age-based rules for selecting child restraints are simple, require less information to be retained, and might be more natural criteria for parents. They might have a greater chance of being adopted as norms, and of encouraging good peer cues. Anthropometric rules, on the other hand, assume that parents know the current dimensions of their children and have the tools at their disposal to measure these dimensions. 2 The consequences of age-based promotion for the proportion of children in a restraint suitable for their weight can be estimated for alternative regulatory frameworks. We will report such Calculations below and show that this rate can potentially be very high. The rate would be even higher if child restraint design standards were drafted with age-based transitions in mind. Age-based transitions imply restraint specifications (weight and height limits) that can be determined from anthropometric survey data. 3 Such standards would necessarily imply overlapping anthropometric ranges for the different types of restraint. However, we emphasize that these overlaps would exist to facilitate age-based transitions, not to feature in publicity advising on the correct selection of child restraints. Under such a regime, promotion is driven by what information is readily usable by parents, and ceases being consequential to the standards-setting process. In support of this argument we shall report a survey of restraint use among parents of pre-school and school aged children, and an analysis of the weights (or other dimensions) of children that provides a technique for estimating how well age-based transition could work. The remainder of this paper is divided into sections covering the survey and the anthropometric study. These are synthesized in a discussion of their implications for restraint promotions and standards setting.

This paper reports the findings of a study of younger and older driver behaviour to hazardous traffic manoeuvres in a driving simulator. Hazardous situations on a highway and residential drive were studied and drivers' vision and vehicle performance responses were collected. While all drivers were able to avoid crashes, the finding that older drivers were consistently slower to fixate hazardous stimuli in the driving environment and were slower to respond presents a potentially serious road safety concern. Further research is warranted, especially under conditions of increasing traffic complexity.

The sport of motor racing provides various public health messages and impacts. Positive messages include road safety campaigns aimed at discouraging drink driving. Negative messages include the sponsorship of racing teams by cigarette companies. Locating motorsport events in significant public places can magnify any health messages or impacts of motorsport in two ways. First, the total local impact of the motor racing events (e.g. through pollution or disruption to healthy modes of transport) is greater in city street circuits than in dedicated racing circuits away from urban areas. Second, the symbolic characteristics of locations with special significance and meaning can enhance the impacts on health by adding legitimacy to the events, thus helping to promote products or activities that either undermine or support public health. This paper explores the health messages and impacts of major motorsport events in Australia, and argues that the distinctive geographies of Australian motorsport work to exacerbate the negative impacts of motorsport on public health.

The analysis of group truncated binary data has been previously considered by O'Neill and Barry (1995b, Biometrics 51, 533-541), where the analysis assumed that responses within each group were independent. In this paper, we consider the analysis of such data when there is group-level heterogeneity. A generalized linear mixed model is hypothesized to model the response and maximum likelihood estimates are derived for the truncated case. A score test is derived to test for heterogeneity. Finally, the method is applied to a set of traffic accident data.

Electric Vehicles (EVs) offer a promising solution to reduce the environmental impact compared to internal combustion engine vehicles. However, EV adoption in Australia has been hindered by concerns over fire safety. This study aims to comprehensively analyse EV fire risks and trends in Australia, including those related to charging stations and lithium-ion batteries. The research utilises secondary data from various reputable sources to develop statistical forecasting models, which estimate that Australia will have approximately 1.73 million EVs by 2030 and 15.8 million by 2050. The study reveals an average EV fire frequency of six fires per million EVs in Australia, aligning with the global average. Consequently, Australia is expected to experience 9 to 10 EV fire incidents annually in 2030, 37 to 42 EV fire incidents annually in 2040, and 84 to 95 EV fire incidents annually in 2050. To address these risks, an EV fire risk control framework is considered to identify and recommend appropriate measures for life safety, lithium-ion batteries, charging, EV handling, and EV locations. This research provides vital evidence for regulators, policymakers, and the fire industry to effectively manage EV fire risks and enhance preparedness for the growing EV market in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been reported that the stimulation of travelling in a motor vehicle triggers abnormal hormonal and adrenal excretion and also abnormal changes in the body's fuel system. Figures presented in this paper suggest that motor vehicle travel may be important in breast cancer deaths.

Rates of car ownership in Australia are among the highest in the world. Private cars have shaped the urban form of Australian cities and the daily routines of their residents, making it possible to fulfil geographically stretched responsibilities for work, family, and social lives. But the dominance of the private car in Australian lives and landscapes should not be confused with universality. Aggregate, population-wide statistics of car ownership and use mask the fact that not all Australians are equally car dependent. In this paper, we report on the results of a household sustainability survey conducted in metropolitan Sydney and Wollongong. Overseas-born persons, migrants, and (some) ethnic minority groups were found to own fewer cars - and to use them less - than their Anglo- Australian and Australian-born counterparts. These differences were not attributable to socio-economic or demographic factors. Our findings, which point towards the existence of diverse cultures of transport within the Australian population, are significant for transport planning and policymaking. Given profound concerns about the environmental implications of car use, the environmentally (more) sustainable transport behaviours of ethnic minorities and migrants should be supported. A shift in research focus away from the most car-dependent groups in Australian society may also be more widely instructive. The transport practices, experiences, and strategies of those who own and drive cars at below-average rates may indeed contribute practical lessons to inform planning for more environmentally sustainable transport futures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Transport fuel consumption and its determinants have received a great deal of attention since the early 1970s. In the literature, different types of modelling methods have been used to estimate petrol demand, each having methodological strengths and weaknesses. This paper is motivated by an ongoing need to review the effectiveness of empirical fuel demand forecasting models, with a focus on theoretical as well as practical considerations in the model-building processes of different model forms. We consider a linear trend model, a quadratic trend model, an exponential trend model, a single exponential smoothing model, Holt’s linear model, Holt–Winters’ model, a partial adjustment model (PAM), and an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model. More importantly, the study identifies the difference between forecasts and actual observations of petrol demand in order to identify forecasting accuracy. Given the identified best-forecasting model, Australia’s automobile petrol demand from 2007 through to 2020 is presented under the “business-as-usual” scenario. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the history of automobile usage in Australia, with a particular focus on changing uses of the street during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. According to the author, these changes coalesced to produce an idea of the street as a site of efficient movement. It is suggested that transport experts' preoccupation with efficiency did not always reflect travelers' motivations and experiences. Details on the proliferation of automobile usage are presented. Other topics include traffic accidents, public spaces, and various mechanisms of regulating automobile use such as drivers' licenses and safety programs.

Objective To estimate the prevalence of hand-arm vibration (HAV) in Australian workplaces. Methods The Australian Workplace Exposure Survey (AWES)—Hearing was a cross-sectional telephone survey of Australian workers conducted in 2016–2017. Respondents were asked about the time spent using tools or performing tasks known to be associated with HAV during their most recent working day. We created a library of HAV magnitude levels for each tool/task and estimated each worker's daily HAV exposure level using standard formulae. We categorized each worker as to whether they exceeded the daily occupational limits of 2.5 and 5.0 m/s2. Results were extrapolated to the Australian working population using a raked weighting method. Results In our sample of 4991 workers, 5.4% of men and 0.7% of women exceeded the HAV action limit of 2.5 m/s2 on their most recent working day. We estimate that 3.8% of the Australian workforce exceeds the HAV limit of 2.5 m/s2 and 0.8% exceeds the 5 m/s2 limit. Men were more likely to exceed the HAV limits than women, as were those with trade qualifications, and those who worked in remote locations. Workers in the construction, farming, and automobile industries had the highest prevalence of HAV exposure. Tool groups that contributed to higher exposure levels included: compactors, rollers, and tampers; power hammers and jackhammers; and underground mining equipment. Conclusions HAV is common in the Australian working population. Given the health risks associated with this exposure, reduction strategies and interventions should be developed, with engineering controls as the starting point for exposure reduction strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issued addressed: There is increasing evidence that exposure to traffic‐related air pollution is related to childhood respiratory symptoms. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of an anti‐idling behavioural intervention targeting parents at primary schools. Methods: Based on two focus group discussions with parents, a low‐intensity 4‐week anti‐idling intervention was developed, comprising onsite signage, four newsletters, and two fact sheets. Exposure to selected air pollutants was assessed during pick‐up and drop‐off times pre‐ and postintervention at 12 randomly selected independent schools (10 intervention and 2 control) across the Perth metropolitan area. Results: The study results showed that a low‐intensity behavioural intervention can be an effective strategy to affect parents' attitude towards vehicle idling. This was demonstrated by the reduced number of idling vehicles observed in 8 of the 10 intervention schools and decreased overall particulate matter concentration after the anti‐idling intervention. Conclusion: Anti‐idling education can be effective in promoting clean travel behaviours and has potential health benefits for school children. So what?: This intervention study provides insights on the significant effect of anti‐idling education on parents' behaviour towards air quality and children's health. These promising findings warrant further rigorous actions on anti‐idling education and enforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Designing parks that optimise visitation and support visitors to be active is important for public health. Yet there is very little evidence about whether playground refurbishment achieves these objectives. This study examined the impact of the installation of a play-scape in a large metropolitan park in Melbourne, Australia. Methods: Natural experiment study (intervention vs control). At both parks, park visitation and physical activity were assessed before (T1, 2013) and after the intervention at 12 (T2, 2014) and 24 months (T3, 2015). At each time point, measures included: observations of park visitors using the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities on four weekdays and four weekend days, objective monitors to record usage of the walking paths and the number of cars entering the park; and intercept surveys with adult park visitors. Cross-sectional surveys were conducted with local residents at T1 and T3. Results: The observational data showed a 176% increase in park visitor counts from T1 to T2 (Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) = 2.76, 95% CI = 1.04-7.33), at the intervention park relative to the control park. The intervention park had a 119% increase in counts of visitors observed engaging in MVPA from T1 to T2 (IRR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.14-4.20), and a 128% increase from T1 to T3 (IRR = 2.28, 95% CI = 1.19-4.38), relative to the control park. The relative increases in visitation at the intervention park play-scape compared with the control park playground were highly statistically significant from both T1 to T2 (IRR = 18.12, 95% CI = 5.51-59.59) and T1 to T3 (IRR = 15.05, 95% CI =4.61-49.16). Similarly, there was a significant interaction between time and park with regard to the number of visitors observed engaging in MVPA in the play-scape/playground areas. The intercept survey data showed an increased odds of children's regular visitation to the intervention park at T2 (OR = 2.67, 95% CI = 1.08, 6.64), compared with T1, relative to the control park. The remaining results from the intercept survey, objective monitors and resident surveys showed no significant differences in visitation between the two parks. Conclusions: These findings confirm that a well-designed play-scape installation has the potential to increase park visitation and encourage visitors to be physically active. Trial registration: Current controlled trial ISRCTN50745547. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There remains considerable debate over whether the phenomenon of peak car, a levelling off and in some cases a fall in per-capita automotive travel, will continue and if so, the extent and speed with which it may intensify. This study’s contribution is to introduce an analytical framework for explaining the timing of peak car and of its likely future development using Australia and US data. Two self-reinforcing opposing forces which become determinants of peak car and its timing are described. Growth of automotive dependence is explained in terms of an interrelated mesh of socio-economic forces delaying the advent of peak car through a lock-in of the automotive mode in urban environments. A countervailing set of self-reinforcing socio-economic forces – including congestion, urban infilling, social and environmental costs of the automobile – is shown to be operating to reduce automotive dependence. Peak car can therefore be seen as a product of the concurrence of the overreach of the automotive mode’s path dependent growth with its attendant accumulation of negative externalities and high cost, and emerging socio-economic and demographic trends. The mutually reinforcing nature of these coinciding factors suggests further future lowering of growth of automotive usage and ownership. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Reducing automobile dependence and improving rates of active transport may reduce the impact of obesogenic environments, thereby decreasing population prevalence of obesity and other diseases where physical inactivity is a risk factor. Increasing the relative cost of driving by an increase in fuel taxation may therefore be a promising public health intervention for obesity prevention.Methods: A scoping review of the evidence for obesity or physical activity effect of changes in fuel price or taxation was undertaken. Potential health benefits of an increase in fuel excise taxation in Australia were quantified using Markov modelling to simulate obesity, injury and physical activity related health impacts of a fuel excise taxation intervention for the 2010 Australian population. Health adjusted life years (HALYs) gained and healthcare cost savings from diseases averted were estimated. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were reported and results were tested through sensitivity analysis.Results: Limited evidence on the effect of policies such as fuel taxation on health-related behaviours currently exists. Only three studies were identified reporting associations between fuel price or taxation and obesity, whilst nine studies reported associations specifically with physical activity, walking or cycling. Estimates of the cross price elasticity of demand for public transport with respect to fuel price vary, with limited consensus within the literature on a probable range for the Australian context. Cost-effectiveness modelling of a AUD0.10 per litre increase in fuel excise taxation using a conservative estimate of cross price elasticity for public transport suggests that the intervention would be cost-effective from a limited societal perspective (237 HALYs gained, AUD2.6 M in healthcare cost savings), measured against a comparator of no additional increase in fuel excise. Under "best case" assumptions, the intervention would be more cost-effective (3181 HALYs gained, AUD34.2 M in healthcare cost savings).Conclusions: Exploratory analysis suggests that an intervention to increase fuel excise taxation may deliver obesity and physical activity related benefits. Whilst such an intervention has significant potential for cost-effectiveness, potential equity and acceptability impacts would need to be minimised. A better understanding of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a range of transport interventions is required in order to achieve more physically active transport environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate the potential effectiveness of an in-vehicle automatic collision notification (ACN) system in reducing all road crash fatalities in South Australia (SA).Methods: For the years 2008 to 2009, traffic accident reporting system (TARS) data, emergency medical services (EMS) road crash dispatch data, and coroner's reports were matched and examined. This was done to initially determine the extent to which there were differences between the reported time of a fatal road crash in the mass crash data and the time EMS were notified and dispatched. In the subset of fatal crashes where there was a delay, injuries detailed by a forensic pathologist in individual coroner's reports were examined to determine the likelihood of survival had there not been a delay in emergency medical assistance.Results: In 25% (N = 53) of fatalities in SA in the period 2008 to 2009, there was a delay in the notification of the crash event, and hence dispatch of EMS, that exceeded 10 min. In the 2-year crash period, 5 people were likely to have survived through more prompt crash notification enabling quicker emergency medical assistance. Additionally, 3 people potentially would have survived if surgical intervention (or emergency medical assistance to sustain life until surgery) occurred more promptly.Conclusions: The minimum effectiveness rate of an ACN system in SA with full deployment is likely to be in the range of 2.4 to 3.8% of all road crash fatalities involving all vehicle types and all vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists) from 2008 to 2009. Considering only passenger vehicle occupants, the benefit is likely to be 2.6 to 4.6%. These fatality reductions could only have been achieved through earlier notification of each crash and their location to enable a quicker medical response. This might be achievable through a fully deployed in-vehicle ACN system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Understanding how different socioeconomic indicators are associated with transport modes provide insight into which interventions might contribute to reducing socioeconomic inequalities in health. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between neighbourhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage, individual-level socioeconomic position (SEP), and usual transport mode. Methods This investigation included 11 036 residents from 200 neighbourhoods in Brisbane, Australia. Respondents self-reported their usual transport mode (car or motorbike, public transport, walking or cycling). Indicators for individual-level SEP were education, occupation and household income; and neighbourhood disadvantage was measured using a census-derived index. Data were analysed using multilevel multinomia logistic regression. High SEP respondents and residents of the most advantaged neighbourhoods who used a private motor vehicle as their usual form of transport was the reference category. Results Compared with driving a motor vehicle, the odds of using public transport were higher for white collar employees (OR 1.68, 95% CrI 1.41-2.01), members of lower income households (OR 1.71 95% CrI 1.25-2.30) and residents of more disadvantaged neighbourhoods (OR 1.93, 95% CrI 1.46-2.54); and lower for respondents with a certificate-level education (OR 0.60, 95% CrI 0.49-0.74) and blue collar workers (OR 0.63, 95% CrI 0.50-0.81). The odds of walking for transport were higher for the least educated (OR 1.58, 95% CrI 1.18-2.11), those not in the labour force (OR 1.94,95% CrI 1.38-2.72), members of lower income households (OR 2.10, 95% CrI 1.23-3.64) and residents of more disadvantaged neighbourhoods (OR 2.73, 95% CrI 1.46-5.24). The odds of cycling were lower among less educated groups (OR 0.31, 95% CrI 0.19-0.48). Conclusions The relationships between socioeconomic characteristics and transport modes are complex, and provide challenges for those attempting to encourage active forms of transportation. Further work is required exploring the individual-level and neighbourhood-level mechanisms behind choice of transport mode, and what factors might influence individuals from different socioeconomic backgrounds to change to more active transport modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deterioration of Australia's unbound granular pavements with a wearing surface of stone aggregate embedded in a thin bituminous binder seal is likely to increase with increases in axle loads due to the predicted doubling of the freight task carried by heavy vehicles travelling interstate over the next 15 years. Experimental pavement deterioration data gained from accelerated load testing (ALT) were used to derive relative performance factors for rutting and roughness deterioration for increases in axle loads. The ALT involved applying increased axle loads to test pavements in an enclosure that maintained a constant environment. The relative performance factors can be applied to the observed deterioration of pavements under known levels of axle loading to develop network-level road deterioration (RD) models that predict the influence of increased axle loads on deterioration. Several long-term pavement performance studies have collected observational data for this purpose of network RD model development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low density suburban development and excessive use of automobiles are associated with serious urban and environmental problems. Master planned development suggests itself as a possible palliative for these ills. This study examines the patterns and dynamics of movement in a selection of master planned estates in Australia with the aim of developing new approaches for assessing the containment of travel within planned development. A geographical information systems methodology is used to determine regional journey-to-work patterns and travel containment rates. Factors that influence self-containment patterns are estimated with a regression model. The findings of the pilot study demonstrate that the proposed model is a useful starting point for a systematic and detailed analysis of self-containment in master planned estates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]