NSW Roads and Maritime Services

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Research on young drivers directly linking risk factors to serious injury and death outcomes is required. The DRIVE Study was established to facilitate this aim. This paper outlines the study methods and describes the population that has been recruited, in order to demonstrate that the necessary heterogeneity in risk factors has been attained. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Drivers aged 17-24 years holding their first-stage provisional driver's licence from New South Wales, Australia, were recruited into a prospective cohort study. The participants were contacted by mail and asked to complete the study questionnaire at an online site or via a mailed questionnaire. Baseline data collection involved a questionnaire with questions to drivers about their training, risk perception, driver behavior, sensation-seeking behavior and mental health. Participants gave consent for prospective data linkage to their data on licensing, crashes and injuries, held in routinely collected databases. RESULTS: 20 822 drivers completed the baseline questionnaire, of whom 45.4% were men, 74.3% resided in capital cities and 25.7% in regional or remote areas. The recruited study population showed a wide variation in the risk factors under examination. For example, almost 40% of drivers reported drinking alcohol at hazardous levels and about 32% of participants seemed to be at a high or very high risk of psychological distress. Participants reported a mean of 67.3 h (median 60 h) of supervised driver training while holding their learner's permit. CONCLUSIONS: The DRIVE Study has a robust study design aimed at minimizing bias in the collection of outcome data. Analyses of baseline data showed substantial heterogeneity of risk factors in the study population. Subsequent prospective linkages comparing relative differences in exposures at baseline with the outcomes of interest have the potential to provide important new information needed to develop targeted interventions aimed at young drivers.

The prevalence of significant behavioural disturbance in 46 Sydney nursing homes was examined. All 2445 residents were rated on a brief screening questionnaire by senior nurses, who decided that 704 (29%) displayed at least one problem behaviour for much of the time. Primary care nurses (PCNs) then rated these ‘screen-positive’ residents using the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI). In one nursing home the PCNs rated all 100 residents on the CMAI and found that 24 of 58 ‘screen-negative’ residents displayed CMAI behaviours once daily or more. Of CMAI behaviours rated as occurring daily or more often, 30% were manifested by ‘screen-negative’ residents. Prevalence figures based on ‘screen-positive’ residents are underestimates. Interrater reliability between PCNs was good. We report that at least 3.3% of residnets paced and 0.45% screamed several times an hour. Each of the following behaviours was manifested daily or more often by 10– 15% of the residents: restlessness, pacing, repetitive sentences, constant calls for help, cursing/verbal aggression and complaining. Aggressive behaviours (eg hitting, kicking, biting) were less common, and a relationship to cognitive impairment was demonstrated. Increased research on assessment and management of these behaviours is needed.

Ramp metering is a dynamic traffic management tool used to eliminate or reduce the duration of congestion on motorways. A ramp metering implementation can present some problems to the adjacent arterial network. One source of these problems is the treatment of motorways and arterial network as two separate areas of control. This paper presents three novel methods for ramp metering. The three methods are aimed at promoting a coordinated, efficient and integrated ramp metering approach. These methods are integrated in the Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System (SCATS) Ramp Metering System which currently controls the largest southern-hemisphere ramp metering network. The achievements of these methods are demonstrated by years of before and after field data from Auckland, New Zealand. An average 25% improvement in both congestion duration and traffic speed is achieved as well as an 8% increase in throughput. A total of 22% reduction in crashes is also demonstrated. Based on average results of 25 surveyed sites, the estimated annual benefits for a ramp metering site are a reduction of 26K hours of delay and a reduction of 6 crashes. In terms of economic value, this results in an estimated annual cost reduction of AU$2M per ramp metering site. These estimates were designed to exclude benefits from any civil works resulting in capacity increases to the motorway network.

OBJECTIVE: Pelvic injuries are a serious and commonly occurring injury to motorcycle riders involved in crashes, yet there has been limited research investigating the mechanisms involved in these injuries. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms involved in pelvic injuries to crashed motorcyclists. METHOD: This study involved in-depth crash investigation and 2 convenience-based data sets were used. These data sets investigated motorcycle crashes in the Sydney, Newcastle, and Adelaide regions. Participants included motorcycle riders who had crashed either on a public road or private property within the study areas. The mechanism of injury and the type of injuries were investigated. RESULTS: The most frequent cause of pelvic injuries in crashed motorcyclists was due to contact with the motorcycle fuel tank during the crash (85%). For riders who had come into contact with the fuel tank, the injury types were able to be grouped into 3 categories based on the complexity of the injury. The complexity of the injury appeared to increase with impact speed but this was a nonsignificant trend. The pelvic injuries that did not occur from contact with the fuel tank in this sample differed in asymmetry of loading and did not commonly involve injury to the bladder. They were commonly one-sided injuries but this differed based on the point of loading; however, a larger sample of these injuries needs to be investigated. CONCLUSION: Overall improvements in road safety have not been replicated in the amelioration of pelvic injuries in motorcyclists and improvements in the design of crashworthy motorcycle fuel tanks appear to be required.

The construction and maintenance of roads often impacts adversely upon biodiversity values. To minimise these impacts, road agencies rely on technical information and expert advice provided by ecologists. This information is provided in a variety of documents ranging from formal environmental impact assessment (EIA) documents to small-scale ecological assessment reports. Road agencies expect the following from a high quality EIA: 1 The consultant must have a thorough understanding of the scope for the EIA. 2 The EIA should include accurate and expert technical advice. 3 Adequate methods are used to conduct EIA surveys and analyse the results. 4 The EIA should be easy to read and comprehend. 5 The EIA must adequately assess the potential impacts of the project or action on biodiversity. 6 The EIA should follow the mitigation hierarchy (i.e. avoid, minimise, mitigate and lastly offset) and recommend realistic measures to protect the environment. This chapter provides best practice guidance for delivering high quality EIA and is relevant to road agencies as well as environmental consultants. The recommendations in this chapter apply equally to other projects or actions that do not require a formal EIA, and yet have the potential to have significant environmental impacts.

Common and Australian blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus and Carcharhinus tilstoni) occur sympatrically in Australia, where they are reported as a complex because of their morphological similarities. This study provides the first description of the life history of C. limbatus using samples from central eastern Australia, where C. tilstoni is rare. Females (68–267 cm total length (TL); n = 183) and males (65–255 cm TL; n = 292) both matured at 8.3 years and 200 cm TL, which exceeds the maximum length of C. tilstoni. Vertebral ageing revealed that female and male C. limbatus lived to 22 and 24 years respectively, exceeding known longevity in C. tilstoni. The mean (±s.d.) intrinsic rate of population increase calculated using a Euler–Lotka demographic method was 0.11 ± 0.02 year–1 for C. limbatus, compared with 0.17 ± 0.02 and 0.20 ± 0.03 year–1 for two C. tilstoni stocks. Despite their similar appearance, these species differed in both their biological productivity and susceptibility to fishing activities. Monitoring of relative abundance should be a priority given they are likely to have divergent responses to fishing.

In the context of the Safe System approach for harm minimisation where fatal and serious injuries are not accepted as inevitable costs of mobility in any transport system, there is an increasing need to consider implementing speed limits within the biological tolerance of road users. The need to implement speed limits lower than 40 km/h in an urban area with high pedestrian movement and activity has been recognised by an Australian state road agency. Through a literature review, stakeholder consultation with road transport agencies in Australia and New Zealand and a Safe System analysis, this paper presents the development of guiding principles in implementing 30 km/h speed limits and zones in Australasia. The implementation principles have been developed to inform a revision of the existing speed zoning guidelines and its applications within the jurisdiction, which are also applicable elsewhere across Australasia and internationally.

The A$1·7 billion (£1·13 billion) Hunter Expressway project near Newcastle, Australia, is an impressive 40 km motorway traversing a floodplain and rugged terrain by means of a series of bridges, viaducts and massive earthworks. Former underground coal mining activities and poor ground conditions presented exceptional engineering and construction challenges. Subsidence movements associated with the sudden collapse of standing pillars could leave some of project's structures unserviceable, while earthworks feature a proportionally large amount of poor quality materials derived from cutting construction. The designers incorporated expansive and carbonaceous materials, which would otherwise be spoiled because of their poor engineering properties. This paper chronicles the unique design and construction challenges associated with earthworks and mine subsidence for the eastern section of the project.

In this paper, the behaviour of geosynthetic-reinforced controlled modulus column-supported embankments is studied for different distributions of loadings induced by arching on the load transfer platform (LTP). This study proposes a mechanical model for idealising the response of LTP-soft soil-column system, by representing each sub-system using commonly used mechanical elements such as rough-elastic membrane, beam, and spring. The soil arching effect is incorporated in the model to determine the deflection of the soft soil as well as mobilised tension in the geosynthetics more accurately. The effects of the column stiffness and consolidation of saturated soft soils are also incorporated in the model. Moment and shear force in the LTP, tension developed in the geosynthetics, and settlements of the improved soft ground are predicted using the proposed model. To evaluate the proposed model, a parametric study is conducted to investigate the influence of different pressure distribution due to different arching theories. It is observed that the pattern of distribution of the arching loads affect the performance of controlled modulus column-supported embankments significantly.

Background While age-appropriate restraints protect child passengers against injuries, best practice child restraint use has been difficult to achieve. Aims/Objectives/Purpose To evaluate the effectiveness of an education and distribution programme in increasing age-appropriate and correct child restraint use. Methods We conducted a cluster randomised trial of a multifaceted education, restraint distribution and fitting programme during 2010 and 28 early childhood education services in low socio-economic areas of urban Sydney, Australia participated. The main outcome measure was optimal restraint use defined as age-appropriate restraints, installed into the vehicle correctly and used correctly. Results/Outcome One service from the intervention arm withdrew after randomisation, so data are presented for 689 child passengers, aged 3–5 years arriving by vehicle at 27 centres during September–December 2010. More children attending intervention centres were optimally restrained (43% vs 31%, p=0.01, allowing for clustering by centre). The largest difference was among 3-year-olds using forward-facing seats rather than booster seats and among 5-year-olds using booster seats instead of seat belts alone at intervention centres. Among families who spoke a language other than English at home, more children attending intervention centres (43%) were optimally restrained than at control centres (17%) (p=0.002, allowing for clustering by center). Significance/Contributions to the Field The programme increased the use of age-appropriate restraints and the correct use of restraints which translates to improved protection against crash injury. This research shows that multifaceted education, seat distribution and fitting enhances the effects of legislation, particularly in linguistically isolated groups.

ABSTRACT The International Oil Spill Conference sponsored a workshop entitled “Global Challenges to Preparedness and Response” held in London, England, November 12–14, 2002. The Workshop brought more than 25 government, industry, and nongovernmental organizations representatives together to analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats relative to government-led and industry-led response regimes around the world. Over the course of three days, a team of facilitators led participants through a series of response scenarios, alternating between small break out sessions followed by plenary sessions, to develop consensus on a framework for preparedness and response. Each scenario built on previous ones to further participant understanding and concurrence on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing regimes around the world. Participants rapidly concluded that all responses to significant incidents are government-led, with varying degrees of industry involvement. The framework for successful regimes was identified. The Workshop conclusions encompass three broad areas: 1) similarities and differences among models and regimes; 2) benefits of international conventions; and 3) critical elements in the preparedness cycle. Participants put forth specific challenges (recommendations for action) to all nations.

<h3>Background</h3> Currently, in Australia there are around 270,000 quad bikes (ATVs) and Side by Side Vehicles (SSVs) in use, an estimated 80,000 Quad bikes and SSVs in New Zealand, and an estimated 10 million Quad bikes and SSVs in the USA. Analysis of Australian Coronial data from 2001 to 2012 identified around 141 fatalities involving quad-bikes and SSVs. In comparison 2,718 quad-bike fatalities occurred in the US in the years 2000 to 2010. Fatality data indicates that rollover, pinned entrapment and asphyxiation are the major casual factors in farm place deaths related to quad-bikes. As a result, the authors critically evaluated quad bike static stability, dynamic handling and rollover crashworthiness to identify engineering design deficiencies and possible countermeasures to reduce rollover injury risk. <h3>Methods</h3> A major three year project comprised of over 1000 tests on a selection of 17 vehicles consisting of 8 quad bikes, 3 recreational quad bikes, 5 SSVs and a modified prototype quad bike. Testing was carried out at the NSW state government’s Crashlab testing facility, consisting of ststic stability, dynamic handling and rollover crashworthiness tests. <h3>Results</h3> Results from all the test program are presented, with links provided to the extensive project and Crashlab test reports. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Deficiencies in the stability and handling of quad bikes which significantly increased the rollover risk with consequent increased risk of severe injury and death in the farming environment were identified and quantified. For the first time, the comparison of quad bikes with SSVs identified the superior static stability, dynamic handling, minimal disturbance of steering when traversing a bump, and rollover crashworthiness of SSVs. Quad bikes are not the best choice for workplace and farm vehicles but rather well designed SSVs, in general, are the more appropriate ‘fit for purpose’ vehicle choice.

The M1 Motorway (formerly F3) is an important part of the National Highway network with a total length of 127 km providing a link between Sydney and Newcastle and the regional areas of Central Coast. This road is one of the most significant transportation routes (for both people and goods) in the country, carrying an average Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) of 37,000 vehicles in each direction. The M1 is reported to have one of the highest numbers of crashes for this type and capacity of the road mainly due to its curvilinear alignment, filled batters and deep cuttings. The section of the road between Hawkesbury River to Mount White Heavy Vehicle Checking Station (HVCS) is particularly prone to a higher rate of crashes as the curvilinear road is in addition subject to steep grades. In this Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) deployment, the stated goal was to reduce speed during Wet weather condition.