CAR5002 · Applying behavioural science to road safety

Overview

Human behaviour is very complex, with road user behaviour an important pillar of the Safe System approach. Typical behavioural challenges for road safety include distraction, speeding and risk-taking behaviours, among others. Behavioural change approaches are an important, and often very cost effective, part of the mix of solutions to road safety. Considerable opportunities exist in this space, as comparatively little time and effort is usually invested in understanding the factors underlying individual behaviour and designing solutions that target these factors. With a mix of theoretical and practical work, this unit will focus on an understanding of individual behaviour in a way that identifies opportunities for change. This will involve unpacking public policy challenges and identifying real-life behavioural solutions. This involves prioritising behaviours and target audiences and understanding underlying drivers of behaviour and potential solutions. You will also learn to work collaboratively to design, test and evaluate behaviour change interventions.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. discuss human behaviour and its role in road safety
2. articulate a road safety problem and to make an evidence-based case for applying a behavioural approach to addressing the problem.
3. articulate a road safety problem, identify the audience, and recommend priority road safety behaviours for intervention using appropriate tools and techniques.
4. create an intervention plan for a behaviour change solution

Workload

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.