Wednesday, 15 April 2026
Road transport systems involve complex interactions between people, vehicles, technology and the road environment. Understanding how human behaviour interacts with these elements underpins coordinated system design, assessment and operation to improve road safety.
“Our new guidance responds to this challenge by applying a structured approach to examining how people perceive information, manage attention, make decisions and interact with road system elements in real‑world conditions,” said Michael Nieuwesteeg, Austroads’ Road Safety and Design Program Manager. “This includes recognising driver distraction as the result of multiple, interrelated factors within the road traffic system, as well as influences beyond the road environment.”
Austroads has published three new guidelines which provide practical tools and methodologies to assist road agencies, industry and technology developers to apply human factors principles, inform the design of in‑vehicle technologies, and support more consistent identification of the role of human factors and driver distraction in crashes across Australia and New Zealand.
Austroads will hold two webinars to introduce the guidelines in detail.
This research marks the conclusion of Austroads project Implementing the National Driver Distraction Roadmap. The National Roadmap is available on National Roadmap on Driver Distraction | Austroads.
Human Factors Integration in Road Transport
The Guideline for Human Factors Integration in Road Transport emphasises the role of human factors and ergonomics (HFE) in supporting safe, usable and effective systems by examining how people interact with vehicles, infrastructure, technologies and the wider transport environment.
It outlines an approach for applying HFE considerations across the lifecycle of road transport system components, spanning initial needs analysis, design and development, implementation, operational use, ongoing evaluation, and decommissioning.
This resource will be useful for those responsible for vehicles and in-vehicle technologies, traffic control devices, signage, road and roadside design, advertising, training and education programs, and policies and procedures.
Join the webinar
25 May 2026 at 1:00 PM AEST | Presented by Paul Salmon and Zohre Abedi.
No charge but registration is essential. Can't make the live session? Register and we'll send you a link to the recording.
Driver Distraction Data Collection
The Guideline for Driver Distraction Data Collection introduces a standardised approach for assessing and coding driver distraction as a potential contributing factor in crashes. It responds to variation in how driver distraction is currently defined and reported across jurisdictions by providing a common, operational approach.
As part of this approach, the guideline sets out an operational definition of driver distraction informed by a review of national and international literature, together with consultation with police, crash investigators and other stakeholders. This provides a common basis for considering driver distraction across different crash and incident contexts.
It also presents a Framework for Driver Distraction Data Collection, which uses criticality, expectancy and likelihood matrices to support assessment of whether distraction may have contributed to a crash. The guideline includes considerations related to education and training for police and crash investigation personnel to support consistent application of the approach.
Join the webinar
18 May 2026 at 1:00 PM AEST | Presented by Gavin Lennon and Paul Roberts.
No charge but registration is essential. Can't make the live session? Register and we'll send you a link to the recording.
Human Factors Integration in Human Machine Interface
The Guideline for Incorporating Human Factors in Human Machine Interface provides design guidance for in-vehicle and portable system interfaces. Drawing on established human factors principles, research evidence and industry practice, it is intended to support the development of technologies that promote safe driver interaction.
The document offers guidance for designers, manufacturers and developers of original equipment, aftermarket and portable devices for both light and heavy vehicles. It includes 54 human machine interface (HMI) design principles across 14 criteria addressing elements such as interface layout, interaction methods and function restrictions.
The guideline reflects the increasing complexity of in-vehicle technologies, including infotainment systems, wearable devices, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and partially automated driving features.
Download the guidelines