Mental Health, Impairment and Injury
Led by Associate Professor Michael Fitzharris, the Mental Health, Impairment and Injury team’s psychology expertise underpins their research into the factors associated with being injured and subsequent recovery. The team is focused on the use of technology and the adoption of policy and regulations aimed at improving the safety and wellbeing of society. The team also has a prominent role in the conduct of MUARC’s research in regulation and in-depth crash investigation research.
The team's regulatory research supports evidence-based policies including how to best manage drug-driving recidivism and the regulation of Event Data Recorders, demonstrating their expertise in tackling complex safety challenges head-on. They adopt a mixed-method, co-designed approach when undertaking research and have expertise in qualitative and quantitative methods, including economic methods. The team uses complex datasets, including crash and compensation data, when undertaking its work.
With a strong focus on evaluation research, the team provides evaluations of mental health leadership and psychological safety programs delivered by prominent insurers and program providers, as well as looking at the impact of all forms of impairment on road and workplace safety. They have strong expertise in mental health as well as impairment associated with alcohol, illicit drugs, prescription medication (including medical cannabis), and drowsiness.
Major projects
A successful year, 2024 saw the team deliver high-impact research with national recognition. A standout achievement was the development of the National Road Safety Research Catalogue, supported by the Office of Road Safety through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (DICTRA). This landmark project mapped over 1,500 government-funded road safety projects since 2018 and assessed their alignment with the National Road Safety Strategy and Action Plan, providing a valuable tool to inform future funding and strategy. The team also completed a report on the uses of Event Data Recorders to inform potential future regulation, and multiple reports that examined the safety of Transurban roads across Australia.
Team milestones
Led by Dr Sara Liu, the team secured a prestigious National Road Safety Action Grant in partnership with Vision Australia. Through this co-designed project, the team will investigate the experience of the blind and low-vision community in the road environment, examine impacts of road safety hazards on independence and mental health, and examine ways to improve mobility.
Impact
The team's research is highly valued as reflected by invitations to present at a national Roads Australia summit and to attend and participate at the NSW Road Safety Forum, the NSW Drug Summit, and as a panellist at the co-sponsored Transurban-TAC occupant safety forum. Internationally, the team presented its research at the Lisbon Addictions conference in Portugal, represented MUARC at the Global NCAP meeting in Munich, while collaborators at Seeing Machines presented research at the Driver Distraction Conference in Michigan. The team also presented its work and continued collaborations in Italy, the UK and Germany.
The team’s collaborative reach in 2024 included partners such as the Burnet Institute, Howden Insurance, KPMG, RecLink, Seeing Machines and Transurban, as well as the Office of Road Safety and Vehicle Safety Standards divisions of DITRCA, reflecting the breadth and relevance of their research.
The Mental Health, Impairment and Injury team are experts at combining data-driven analysis with clinician-researcher insights. Their work bridges research and practice to improve safety outcomes, influence regulatory policy, and support better mental health and wellbeing in transport, workplace and the community.