Kenngineering Notes: Safe System heavyweight fight – Australia vs Aotearoa New Zealand
Mar 19, 2026
Closing keynote slots can be dangerous. The audience has already heard a lot and the energy is dropping. You need something to bring the oomph back.
So at last week’s Transportation Conference in Aotearoa New Zealand, I threw in a Safe System heavyweight fight. — Who’s doing Safe System solutions better?
Australia versus Aotearoa New Zealand.
Rules were simple. Five rounds. Infrastructure and speed management solutions in the ring.
By round four, the crowd was heckling the judges (myself and Sam Pasley, Safe System Solutions NZ Lead) and arguing the calls. Exactly the kind of passionate debate road safety needs and I enjoy.
When the final bell rang… New Zealand wins on points. A close contest, but the Kiwis took the title this year.
When engineers and practitioners start arguing about which treatments save more lives, you know the conversation is heading in the right direction.
Australia… consider this a friendly challenge.
————-
Follow Kenn Beer on LinkedIn for more updates and road safety industry news.
Closing keynote slots can be dangerous. The audience has already heard a lot and the energy is dropping. You need something to bring the oomph back.
So at last week’s Transportation Conference in Aotearoa New Zealand, I threw in a Safe System heavyweight fight. — Who’s doing Safe System solutions better?
Australia versus Aotearoa New Zealand.
Rules were simple. Five rounds. Infrastructure and speed management solutions in the ring.
By round four, the crowd was heckling the judges (myself and Sam Pasley, Safe System Solutions NZ Lead) and arguing the calls. Exactly the kind of passionate debate road safety needs and I enjoy.
When the final bell rang… New Zealand wins on points. A close contest, but the Kiwis took the title this year.
When engineers and practitioners start arguing about which treatments save more lives, you know the conversation is heading in the right direction.
Australia… consider this a friendly challenge.
————-