Road Safety
This oral history covers the three basic strands of road safety - the vehicle, the road environment and the driver.
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This oral history was based on 40 hours of digitally recorded interviews with 29 persons who have made significant contributions to road safety.
It covers the three basic strands of road safety - the vehicle, the road environment, and the driver - and discusses the significant developments in each area including, seat belts, development of vehicle standards, crash testing, child restraints, helmets, speed zoning, breath and drug testing, road engineering improvements, driver and rider licensing changes. public awareness campaigning, and on-road enforcement.
Although the project covers road safety on a national level and interviews were carried out in three states and the ACT, its main focus is the New South Wales experience.
The MP3 sound files below feature some of the key themes explored in this project.
The opinions expressed in the oral history interview tapes are those of the individuals concerned and do not necessarily represent in whole or in part the position of Transport for NSW (TfNSW).
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Whole Collection (3 CDs as one file - Mp3)
Towards a Safer System - Innovations in Australian Road Safety (MP3, 218.41 MB)
Oral History of Road Safety Part 1
Oral History of Road Safety Part 1 - all parts as one file (MP3, 72.87 MB)
Part 1 - individual parts as sound files
01. Introduction / Early Road Safety History (MP3, 5.18 MB)
02. First Australian Motor Car Fatality / Early Campaigns (MP3, 4.26 MB)
03. Hugh De Haven / William Haddon & His Matrix (MP3, 4.26 MB)
04. Dr John Lane / Senate Select Committee Inquiry / Jack McLean (MP3, 4.78 MB)
05. First Crash Investigation Studies (MP3, 4.93 MB)
06. Ralph Nader / First Australian Design Rules & Seat Belts (MP3, 4.01 MB)
07. Michael Henderson's Research / Safety Harness for Racing Cars (MP3, 4.4 MB)
08. TARU / Introduction of Compulsory Seat Belt Wearing (MP3, 4.34 MB)
09. Advances in Seat Belt Design (MP3, 4.74 MB)
10. Staffing TARU / Fairfield in-depth Crash Studies (MP3, 4.17 MB)
11. Child Restraints Testing / Four Corners Demonstration (MP3, 2.71 MB)
12. Top-tether Anchorages / Child Booster Seats / Baby Bassinets (MP3, 5.26 MB)
13. Helmet Testing / Bicycle Helmet Subsidy Scheme / Barriers (MP3, 4.4 MB)
14. Size of TARU Team / Demise of TARU (MP3, 3.49 MB)
15. TARU's Influence / Accountability of Road Safety (MP3, 2.58 MB)
16. What Statisticians Do (MP3, 3.82 MB)
17. Dr John Birrell / Blood Alcohol Levels (MP3, 2.58 MB)
18. Robert Borkenstein's BAC Studies / McLean's Drink-Drive Study (MP3, 3.07 MB)
Oral History of Road Safety Part 2
Oral History of Road Safety Part 2 - all parts as one file (MP3, 4.33 MB)
Part 2 - individual parts as sound files
01. Setting Blood Alcohol Levels / Introduction of RBT (MP3, 3.73 MB)
02. First night of RBT / Victorian Experience with RBT (MP3, 3.73 MB)
03. Role of Staysafe Committee / Effect of RBT / Sober Driver Program (MP3, 4.35 MB)
04. Alcohol Interlock Program / Random Drug Testing (MP3, 5.24 MB)
05. Speed Management / History of Speed Zoning (MP3, 3.81 MB)
06. Effect of Speed / Imposing Speed Limits / Speed and Pedestrians (MP3, 3.78 MB)
07. Reduction of Urban Speed Limit to 50 KM/H (MP3, 3.62 MB)
08. Effect in Victoria of New Urban Speed Limits / First Radar Devices (MP3, 3.61 MB)
09. Fixed Speed Cameras / Rules Regarding Placement of Cameras (MP3, 4.31 MB)
10. Police Presence / Speeding Heavy Vehicles / Point-to-Point Cameras (MP3, 4.94 MB)
11. Intelligent Speed Assistance / Crashlab / Setting up ANCAP (MP3, 4.16 MB)
12. Crash Testing Methods / Dummies / Installation of Crash Barrier (MP3, 4.1 MB)
13. Reaction by Car Manufacturers to Crashlab / Side Impact Tests (MP3, 4.62 MB)
14. Rear Centre Lap / Sash Seat Belts (MP3, 2.44 MB)
15. Airbags / Crumple Zones (MP3, 4.45 MB)
16. Brake Assist / Anti-Lock Braking / Electronic Stability Control (MP3, 3.02 MB)
17. Bus Safety / Cowper Bus Crash / Redesigning Coach Seats and buses (MP3, 4.65 MB)
Oral History of Road Safety Part 3
Oral History of Road Safety Part 3 - all parts as one file (MP3, 72.62 MB)
Part 3 - individual parts as sound files
01. Line Marking / RRPMs / Signage / Variable Message Signs (MP3, 4.53 MB)
02. Guard Rails and Barriers / Road Safety Audits (MP3, 3.01 MB)
03. Philosophy Behind Advertising Campaigns (MP3, 3.76 MB)
04. 'Click-Clack' Campaign / RBT Campain (MP3, 4.66 MB)
05. RBT Campaign / Development Process from Research to Message (MP3, 3.2 MB)
06. Driver Fatigue / 'Microsleep' Campaign (MP3, 2.96 MB)
07. 'Brain' Campaign / 'Paranoia' Campaign (MP3, 3.64 MB)
08. 'Pinkie' Campaign (MP3, 3.06 MB)
09. Education Campaigns in Schools / Road Safety in Curriculum Areas (MP3, 3.52 MB)
10. History of Licensing / Graduated Licensing Scheme (MP3, 3.55 MB)
11. Changes to Licensing / Demerit Points (MP3, 3.56 MB)
12. Speeding Infringements / Vulnerable Road Users (MP3, 3.56 MB)
13. Pedestrian Fatalities / Indigenous Communities (MP3, 4.65 MB)
14. Motor & Pedal Cyclists / Enhanced Enforcement Program / Mobile Phones (MP3, 5.77 MB)
15. Role of ARRB / Formulation of Tarbets / The Safe System (MP3, 3.27 MB)
16. Australia's Position in Road Safety / 'Vision Zero' (MP3, 5.84 MB)
17. Future of Road Safety / Ageing Population (MP3, 5.56 MB)