Through a different lens – applying contemporary systems analysis methods in road safety

There is growing consensus that increased understanding of, and reductions in, road trauma, can be achieved through a systems theory driven approach to road safety. To test this assertion, this paper presents an application of three contemporary systems analysis methods in the road and rail transport context: Accimap, Cognitive Work Analysis and STAMP. The methods were used to describe the Kerang tragedy in which a loaded semi-trailer truck struck a passenger train on a railway level crossing in Northern Victoria, Australia, killing eleven train passengers. The analyses indicate that a more exhaustive insight into the causes of road trauma can be achieved through the application of such methods. Notable outcomes include that the role of factors beyond road users (e.g. government, road rules, road designers) in road trauma is elucidated, that issues influencing road system efficiency are identified, and that countermeasures derived from this approach are likely to be more holistic, treating conditions across the entire transportation system.