Transport safety

The Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) has led accident and safety research for more than 20 years.

Transport Safety

Researcher profile

Professor Mark Stevenson
Director, Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC)

"Most people perceive injuries or accidents as chance occurrences, but we know from scientific research that they have underlying causes and distributions like any other disease that can be studied and therefore prevented."

Consultancies

You can benefit from our experience and leadership in the field of injury prevention.

Executive training

From 2012 MIRI will offer advanced training in road safety management and leadership.

Search our reports

Each year our staff produce reports on a broad range of topics across the spectrum of injury prevention.

Leading researchers

Professor Brian Fildes

Professor Max Cameron

Professor Ian Johnston

Professor Peter Vulcan

Professor Tom Triggs

Dr Judith Charlton
Associate Director, Behavioural Safety Science
Graduate Studies Coordinator, MIRI

Dr Bruce Corben
Associate Director, Safe System Strategies and Road Infrastructure

Dr Michael Lenne
Associate Director, Human Factors

Dr Stuart Newstead
Associate Director, Injury Analysis and Data

Dr Jennie Oxley
Associate Director, Global Engagement

Tony Bliss
Global Road Safety Advisor

Monash University Accident Research Centre

The Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) was established in 1987 and is Australia's largest and most respected transport safety research centre. Our research, consultancy and training include safety across all modes of transport.

Since our founding we have developed research-based solutions that have led directly to making Australians safer - and have made us an acknowledged leader in the field. We are committed to the excellence of our research, the independence of our recommendations and the engagement we have with the communities we serve.

We have many clients both national and international, and have forged long-term relationships with a number of key stakeholders including VicRoads, the Transport Accident Commission, the Department of Justice, and Victoria Police.

Our work is conducted across five priority areas:

  • Behavioural safety science
  • Human factors
  • Injury analysis and data
  • Global engagement
  • Safe system strategies and road infrastructure

We have also established an ongoing research partnership with Western Australia's Curtin University. The Curtin-Monash Accident Research Centre (C-MARC) is supported by the government of Western Australia. Our partnership ensures we provide research expertise specific to the states' needs.

Monash University Accident Research Centre news

Download the current edition of The Big Impact MUARC research newsletter.

Cameras at intersections save lives, dollars

A landmark study has found that despite the public's perception that road safety cameras are merely revenue raising devices, they significantly reduce road accidents and so save the State of Victoria millions of dollars annually in associated crash costs.

The Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) study found that fixed digital speed and red light (FDSRL) cameras caused a decrease in casualty crashes of between 26 and 47 per cent, depending on vehicle approach, in the areas immediately surrounding their placement.

This saves the community the costs associated with medical treatment, property damage and lost productivity caused by road accidents.

Dr Stuart Newstead and Ms Laurie Budd of MUARC analysed 87 of Victoria's 175 FDSRL cameras at intersections located across the state last year, comparing the crash rates before and after the installation of the cameras with those at comparable intersections without the cameras.

"Across the areas we examined, the cameras led to 17 fewer crashes causing death or serious injury, and 39 fewer crashes causing minor injuries each year," Dr Newstead said.

"We estimate that this reduction represents at least $8 million in crash cost savings each year."