Safety and security

Negotiating a balance between the scope to move and the many associated risks.

The complex relationship between how we travel and the risks of injury when travelling remains an area of active research and debate. In addition to trying to establish the facts - what are the actual safety impacts of wearing a cycle helmet, say - there are important ethical questions relating to the very uneven socio-economic distribution of injury in road "accidents".

Complementing the topic of safety is that of security. We lock our doors as we drive around town; we choose one street to walk down and not another. In addition to these personal security issues, transport is also of interest because it can be a target for attack (lots of people in one place) as well as providing a means to launch an attack. So there is a need to find a suitable compromise between making transport secure and at the same time preserving individual autonomy: for example, how extensive and intrusive should airport scanning be?

Interested in transport safety and security? Click here to find out about UCL's Crime, Safety & Transport Group.

Looking for an expert on transport and safety and security?  Try Nicola Christie or Aiden Sidebottom

Case Study - aircraft safety The consultancy company AeroTex makes use of UCL research findings to design aircraft components that perform better in icing conditions. Read more >>