University researchers awarded grant to improve motorcycle safety

A team of academics at the University of Melbournes Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology has been awarded a $300,000 grant by the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning through the Safer Motorcycling Grants Program.

Dr Patricia Sauri Lavieri, Professor Mark Stevenson and Professor Majid Sarvi form the project team are seeking to understand the factors that contribute to attention and stress of motorcyclists on the road.

The team is also partnering with transport consultancy group Mobility&. The project harnesses emerging technology, such as glasses with eye-trackers, to measure rider cognitive load in semi-controlled and naturalistic environments.

“Motorcycle crashes represent a disproportionately high percentage of road traffic fatalities in Australia and globally," Dr Lavieri said.

"Yet, motorcyclists are significantly underrepresented in behavioural studies, which leads to a general lack of understanding of the safety needs of this community.

“Emerging wearable eye-tracking technology creates an unprecedented opportunity for us to gain important knowledge to fill the existing gap in behavioural data of motorcyclists.”

Upon completion, the project will present its findings on safer road user management, infrastructure design, and speeds to the Department of Transport and Planning for consideration on how to improve motorcycle safety in Victoria.

Fourteen grant recipients have been selected as part of the $4 million Safer Motorcycling Grants Program. Recipients will deliver projects to educate and empower riders on choosing to buy high safety rated gear, explore rider behaviour and vehicle design, develop cutting-edge tools and systems, and deliver new training and education programs and technology. View the full list of funded projects.