Completed Research

Evaluation of the Road Aware Project:
Road Aware Parents and Road Aware Kids Programs and
the Child Car Restraints Project

Project duration
2004

Funding body
Department of Premier and Cabinet

Investigators
Professor Donna Cross
Dr Marg Hall
Dr Greg Hamilton
Ms Stacey Waters
Ms Therese Shaw

Research Project Coordinators
Ms Joanne House
Ms Sharon Capps

Outline and rationale:

This study will provide a benchmark to measure the process and extent to which future fatalities and injuries, among children aged 0-14 years, can be reduced as a result of the Road Aware Parents, Road Aware Kids and Child Car Restraint Projects in Western Australia.

An evaluation methodology has been designed to collect information from all program implementers and target groups. Using the evaluation methodology, instruments will be designed and administered to study participants to take a baseline measure prior to these programs being implemented in Western Australia. A final report will be provided to the Department of Premier and Cabinet describing the target group and implementers’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards road safety, prior to the Road Aware and Child Car Restraints Programs being delivered.

Objectives

• This study will measure the impact of the Road Aware Parents, Road Aware Kids and the Child Car Restraints Programs, by firstly collecting a baseline measure from program participants.
• The study will measure road safety knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours of parents’, teachers’, children’s, child health nurses, child care staff, and child restraint fitters and trainers.
• Data will be collected from a random sample of participants and program deliverers living and working in metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas of Western Australia,
• Participants in the study include; 1200 parents of children who are aged 0-8 years, and 850 students aged 9-14 years as well as primary and secondary teachers, child health care nurses, childcare managers and all newly trained and accredited child restraint fitters and trainers.

Key Outcomes

This project has provided expert advice to the Department of Premier and Cabinet on the design and implementation of an outcome evaluation for three state-wide road safety projects. Data collected from the baseline evaluation will provide a benchmark for future road safety interventions and allow the Department of Premier and Cabinet to directly measure the impact of three state-wide road safety programs targeting parents and young children.

Benefits of Research

This research aims to contributes to the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s efforts to measure the impact three state-wide road safety projects have on the number of children in Western Australia who are injured or killed in road crashes.

Publications

For a full list of publications related to this project, please click here