2024
Road Safety Initiative
HEALTH IA1, MRS DEANNE HAMILTON
Kaitlyn-Jean Iva
Contents
Executive Summary...............................................................................................................................2
1.0 Introduction..............................................................................................................................3
Executive Summary
1.0 Introduction
This report requires students to investigate a road safety issue in the local community. Students will
be identifying a specific target group to assist in the development of a diffusion action strategy for an
innovation targeted for them. The action strategy plan is to be able to mediate, advocate and/or
enable/implement the innovation into the local community. The purpose/goal of this strategy is to
strengthen, maintain or adapt the community as a resource in relation to the selected road safety
issue. The development of the diffusion action strategy will be presented within the report.
Road safety is a major issue within our communities and is a regularly increasing risk for young
people. Road safety is an issue that is most overlooked within communities, but is a continually rising
risk within communities, more specifically the Canterbury College community. Road safety refers to
methods and measures for reducing the risk of a person using the road network being killed or
seriously injured. (Education, 2023) It is estimated that 64% of Australians over the age of 18
experienced one crash, whether they were the victim or the perpetrator. (Government, 2023) Within
Queensland alone the road death statistics within 2023 were increasing in numbers, with 277
fatalities as a result of crashes, being 5.3% greater than that in the last five years. (Government Q. ,
2024) Barriers and enablers may include the maintenance of cars, the experience, mentalities of road
users including the driver himself and other distractions that may occur.
The fatal five is the top causes for collision/fatalities within Australia. The fatal five include speeding,
drink or drug driving, not wearing seatbelts, fatigue and distracted driving. A survey conducted
within the Canterbury College community found that the student presence recognised distracted
driving as the most common/deadly risk within the fatal five. Distracted driving is the action in which
a driver attempts to do a distracting activity whilst operating a vehicle. (Vertburg, n.d.)
2.0 Australian Data
According to the AAA (Australian Automobile Association), distracted driving is responsible for 16%
of serious casualty road crashes which suggests that distracted driving is as dangerous, if not more
dangerous than drink driving. (Cooper, 2023) Within Australia more than 65% of Australians surveyed
in 2023 said that sending a text message distracted them the most whilst driving. (DIrect, 2024)
While in 2024 18% of Australians partaking in a survey of 1090 participants stated that they use their
phones whilst driving. (finder.com.au, 2024)
Although these are statistics about phone usage, distracted driving may also include using carplay
technology (scrolling through playlists, talking on the phone), attending to children in the back seat,
eating while driving. (Government Q. , Driver Distractions , 2022)
According to this data, distracted driving as a whole is a serious contribution to road deaths and
casualties in Australia. Distracted driving aligns the AIHW conceptual framework for the
determinants of Health. These determinants being Socioeconomic characteristics, Health behaviours,
psychological factors, safety factors and knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs. With the top two
determinants being knowledge, attitudes and beliefs and individual physical and psychological
factors. These determinants include factors such as age, education/ knowledge, access,
finance/maintenance etc. Within distracted driving it suggests that the age group most distracted is
18-34 year olds. These factors suggest barriers may be inclusive of the age and knowledge of drivers
on the roads as well as access to the evolution of car technology (carplay, reverse cameras) the
contributes to the reliance on technology.
3.0 Local Data
In Logan, approximately only 2 crash casualties have been recorded under distracted driving/use of
mobile phone. However, a Survey conducted at Canterbury College states that 71% of students
attending the college feel as though distracted driving contributes most to road incidents/accidents.
It [the survey] also states that 2% of the student body surveyed was made unaware to Logan City
Road initiatives and 72% feel this should be added to college curriculum.
