Injury team secures funding to study how age and sex affect reactions to car alerts

A research project led by Dr Helen Nguyen, Research Fellow in the Injury Program at The George Institute for Global Health and UNSW Sydney, has been awarded a National Road Safety Action Grant to investigate how a person’s age and sex might influence their response to warning systems in cars, known as advanced vehicle technologies (AVTs). 

AVTs have become a critical tool in collective efforts to reduce death and disability from accidents on the roads. Australia’s annual 2024 road toll was recently confirmed at 1,300 deaths – the worst since 2012.¹

AVTs include systems that warn of possible collisions, help keep a safe distance from other cars, alert drivers when drifting out of a lane, and detect blind spots. 

Research on AVTs has shown younger and older drivers are more likely to be involved in fatal crashes than other groups, and while women are less likely to crash, they are more likely to be injured or killed when they do.  

However, despite emerging evidence that men and women of different ages react differently to these technologies, this area has been under-explored.  

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“To make sure these technologies work for all drivers, they need to be designed with everyone in mind. This project will fill the knowledge gap by looking at how different drivers use AVTs in real-world conditions and whether they work equally well for men and women, across all age groups.

“We will also assess current AVT standards and testing practices in Australia and around the world, and develop recommendations for designing and testing AVTs that work for all drivers, ultimately making vehicles safer and encouraging wider use of this technology.”

By:

Dr Helen Nguyen

Research Fellow, Injury Program

The George Institute will partner with Hyundai Australia on this project. The company will provide a vehicle for the on-road elements of the research and a representative from its Engineering and Operations team will sit on the project committee.

Findings from Dr Nguyen’s research will guide manufacturers in creating safer, more inclusive technologies as well as contribute to recommendations to be shared with government and industry bodies.

This research supports the ‘Safe Vehicles’ pillar of the Australian Government’s National Road Safety Strategy 2021-30. National Road Safety Action Grants are awarded by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (DITRDCA).

Reference

1. Road Safety - Australian Automobile Association. Accessed May 2025

Photo credit: Hyundai