Leading Researchers Share Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion Strategies at 10th National Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion

Leading global and Australian injury prevention specialists will meet in Brisbane today to share their latest research and safety promotion strategies.

Director of The George Institute’s Injury Division and President of the Australian Injury Prevention Network, Associate Professor Rebecca Ivers, said she was looking forward to opening the 10th National Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion.

“It’s a great honour to welcome my Australian colleagues and more than 140 speakers, including peers from Canada, Iran, Malaysia, New Zealand, the United States,” Associate Professor Ivers said.

“Each year there are over 3.9 million unintentional injury deaths. It is estimated that injuries caused by road accidents alone result in 1.3 million deaths and between 20 and 50 million injuries and disabilities worldwide.

“That’s why it is critical we hear from and collaborate with international colleagues as well as sharing Australian expertise.”

Multiple speakers from The George Institute’s Injury Division are presenting at the conference on a range of topics including programs to increase use of child restraints, Indigenous injury, effectiveness of motorcycle protective clothing, risk factors for heavy vehicles crashes, on road driving tests for novice drivers and the risk of crash, and the burden of injuries in Vietnam.

“Our aim is to carry out high quality research into the burden and risk factors for injuries, and investigate prevention and treatment strategies,” Associate Professor Ivers said.

“Injury is the leading cause of death for Australians 45 years and under - it is crucial that prevention programs are prioritised by Government. This conference is a major opportunity for the leading researchers and injury prevention practitioners in Australia and worldwide to come together to build a solid evidence base for policy-makers.”

Keynote speakers

  • Dr Margie Peden, World Health Organisation (Switzerland)
  • Professor Niki Ellis, Monash University
  • Catherine King MP, Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing, Infrastructure and Transport
  • Kate Applegarth, The University of Queensland
  • Dr Jean Shope, University of Michigan (USA)
  • Professor Hank Weiss, University of Otago (NZ)
  • Dr John Orchard, University of Sydney
  • Professor Gordon Smith, University of Maryland (USA)
  • Associate Professor Adnan Hyder, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (USA)