MUARC Insight Webinar | Baseline Research Program

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In this MUARC Insight webinar, held on the 06 May 2026, Associate Professor Sjaan Koppel introduces MUARC's Baseline Research Program and explores two recent projects.

The MUARC Baseline Research Program is delivered in partnership with Victorian Government road safety agencies, including the Department of Transport and Planning, Transport Accident Commission, Department of Justice and Community Safety, Victoria Police, and Department of Health; and generates the evidence base that underpins safer road systems. Through this program, MUARC researchers investigate emerging road safety challenges, evaluate existing interventions, and explore how new technologies and behaviours are shaping the transport landscape. The program plays an important role in strengthening the evidence base that the government uses to inform policy, programs, and future safety strategies.

Dr Brendan Lawrence presents research from the Baseline Research Program report: Road Safety Evaluation of 40 Km/h Speed Zones In Victoria. The research examined crash outcomes across different road environments to determine where and when 40 km/h limits deliver the greatest safety benefits for vulnerable road users. The study also investigated community attitudes toward 40 km/h speed zones, providing insights into how the public perceives and responds to lower speed limits in urban areas.

Dr Amanda Stephens presents research from the Baseline report: Potential for optimising the benefits of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) through understanding behavioural adaptation. The study analysed how drivers interact with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which technologies are most commonly used, how often they are used correctly, and the barriers and facilitators influencing their use. The project explored whether drivers change their driving behaviour when using ADAS, whether these systems influence perceptions of safety, and how different driver groups, including older drivers and learner drivers, respond to these technologies.

The webinar is hosted by A/Prof Sjaan Koppel, along with guest presenters, MUARC researchers Dr Brendan Lawrence and Dr Amanda Stephens.