Driver fatigue project worthy of Opal Award
Published on 07 November, 2011
A study of driver fatigue in Rockhampton region has gained a CQUniversity Opal Award in the category of Engaged Research & Innovation.
Professor Lee Di Milia accepted the award recently following his research project in conjunction with several state government agencies, CQUniversity's Population Research Laboratory the University's Centre for Environmental Management. Lee is grateful for the support from Christine Hanley and Lindsay Greer.
The research followed an earlier funded study of fatigue in shift workers and came in the wake of deaths of a miner and a policeman on the Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road in 2006.
Professor Lee Di Milia (right) accepts his Opal Award from Vice-Chancellor Scott Bowman
Driver fatigue findings have now been disseminated to a number of key stakeholder groups including the Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland Resources Council, the Queensland Mining Health and Safety Conference, the Mining Industry Road Safety Alliance and the Liberty Mutual Research Institute.
Lee has also contributed to media, and written reports and journal articles to raise awareness and improve fatigue management policies for light vehicle and commuter travel.
This project was judged to be "an excellent example of research and innovation engagement within the University, across several government departments, with key stakeholders and the broader community".
The other Opal Award finalist in this category was an IT at the Coalface project involving Dr Ashley Holmes, Dr Dennis Jarvis, Dr Jacqueline Jarvis and Ricky Prout.