International road safety expert joins MUARC
Tony Bliss
The former Lead Road Safety Specialist at the World Bank has joined the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) where he will focus on road safety in developing nations.
At the World Bank, Tony Bliss prepared and implemented guidelines for a safer and more sustainable approach to road safety investment and promoted the harmonisation of road safety policies and practices across seven multilateral development banks.
Now, as a Global Road Safety Advisor, Mr Bliss will help MUARC, a centre within the Monash Injury Research Institute, identify and implement strategies to improve road safety in low- and middle-income countries in our region.
“It is a real cultural shock to see the attitudes in many countries towards road safety," Mr Bliss said.
"Initiatives that we in Australia and New Zealand take for granted, such as compulsory seatbelt wearing, safe road design and priority for injury prevention are still largely ignored in many developing countries.
“Working together with MUARC, I intend to influence overseas policy makers to learn from our excellent transport safety initiatives and to lobby their governments to make real changes that save lives.”
Director of MUARC, Professor Mark Stevenson said it was highly rewarding to see the Centre's research make a difference to international road safety.
"It is all well and good to conduct excellent research in our labs, but being able to share this knowledge to address the disproportionate road trauma in developing countries, makes our research worthwhile,” Professor Stevenson said.
“I am delighted that Tony has joined the MUARC team. We look forward to working with him in our aim to reduce global road trauma."
One of the first tasks Mr Bliss will undertake at MUARC will be to facilitate the Road Safety Leadership Program which will take place in November. This program, open to leaders and future leaders within the road safety industry, will promote a comprehensive understanding of road safety management, the science that underpins it, and associated organisational leadership challenges.