Kristie Young

Kristie Young is a Senior Research Fellow at the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC), within the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Monash University. She is actively involved in high-impact research on human factors in road safety, with a focus on distracted driving, driver behavior, and vehicle automation. She leads and contributes to numerous national and international research projects and is accepting PhD students.

Education:

• Bachelor of Applied Science (Psychology) (Honours), Deakin University
• PhD in Human Factors, Monash University

Kristie's research centers on human factors in road transport, particularly driver distraction, adaptation to in-vehicle technologies, Human Machine Interface (HMI) design, and automated vehicles. Her work integrates naturalistic driving studies, driving simulations, and surveys to understand real-world driver behavior. She investigates how drivers self-regulate their engagement with non-driving tasks and how technology can be designed to enhance safety. Her research has significant implications for road safety policy, vehicle design, and public education campaigns, especially targeting young and high-risk drivers.

Her recent publications reveal a strong trend in using naturalistic driving data to analyze driver distraction, self-regulation, and the role of executive function. There is also growing emphasis on automated vehicles, HMI design, and the application of AI for distraction detection. Her work spans cognitive psychology, transportation engineering, public health, and policy development.

Scientific Awards:

• ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (2016)
• Best Paper by an Early Career Researcher (2013)
• Best Research Paper 2020
• Monash Injury Research Institute Award for Outstanding Research by an Early Career Researcher (2011)
• MUARC 2024 Seeding Grant

Kristie has secured competitive research grants, including an ARC DECRA grant, and leads major projects such as the implementation of the National Driver Distraction Roadmap and research on automated vehicles for high-risk drivers. She advises on policy through submissions to government inquiries and collaborates extensively with national and international institutions. Her research is supported by organizations such as the Australian Research Council, Transport for NSW, and the Road Safety Trust (UK).

Kristie is a key member of the Human Factors and Sustainable Safety team at MUARC, contributing to one of Australia’s leading road safety research centers. Her work involves interdisciplinary collaboration with psychologists, engineers, and public health experts, and she utilizes advanced facilities such as the Integrated Facility for Recording Driver and Road User Behaviour.