Austroads Pedestrian Safety Data Research Yields Useful Findings for Health Researchers

Austroads Project: SAG6371 Keeping People Safe When Walking

Workstream: Stream 2 Better Guidance

Research: Defining the minimum data requirements for pedestrian safety

ViaStrada has contributed to Austroads research focused specifically on vehicle–pedestrian trauma within traffic environments. This means the study did not delve into slips, trips, or falls in parks or other non-road areas, instead concentrating on incidents involving vehicles—a key concern for urban transport safety and planning.

One of the most significant findings is the need to better integrate hospital and police crash data. Currently, gaps in these datasets make it difficult to get a full picture of pedestrian trauma. Encouragingly, three studies across Australia and New Zealand have successfully linked this data, showing the potential for more comprehensive injury surveillance.

In his recent presentation, John also explored the role of infrastructure and pedestrian exposure risk. The research underlines a strong relationship between walking levels and public health—but historically, there has been limited data on how much walking occurs and how pedestrian environments either encourage or hinder physical activity.

Emerging technologies such as WiFi probes, artificial intelligence, and GIS-based network analysis are helping to bridge these knowledge gaps. These tools are opening new doors for measuring pedestrian activity and assessing walkability, which is crucial for creating safer, more active communities.