Associate Professor Rebecca McLean

Contact Details

Phone: +64 3 364 3656
Email: rebecca.mclean@otago.ac.nz

University Links

Position

Associate Professor and Head of Department

Department

Department of Population Health (Christchurch)

Qualifications

PGDipArts MA PhD (Otago)

Research summary

Transport and Licensing Policy; Road Safety and Accessibility; Injury Epidemiology

Teaching

Teaching PUBH 714 and PUBH 744
Research higher degree student supervision

Memberships

Vice President (Finance and Administration) Australasian College of Road Safety (2021 – present)
Governing Council, Australasian College of Road Safety (2019 – present)
NZ Chapter Co-Chair, Australasian College of Road Safety (2019 – present)
Management Board, Collaboration of Ageing Research Excellence Research Theme (CARE) (2016 -present)
Steering Committee, Transport Research Network Research Theme (TRN) (2020 – present)

Research

Rebecca is an Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health and has a PhD (Public Health) and MA (Psychology) from the University of Otago. Associate Professor McLean previously held a postdoctoral fellowship (Division of Health Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowship Award 2013-2015).

Rebecca leads the Transport, Mobility and Health Research Group. Her research uses epidemiological methods, primarily cohort study methodology, to inform policy and programmes to improve public health through the provision of accessible, safe, and sustainable transport.

She has led two Health Research Council of NZ (HRC) funded projects, investigating self-regulation and driving cessation among older drivers (NZPATHS: New Zealand Prospective Older Adult Transport and Health Study, 2015-2022). She was a co-investigator on the New Zealand Drivers Study, a prospective cohort study of 3992 young drivers, which has informed graduating driver licensing (GDL) policy nationally and internationally. She is also an investigator on several young driver projects: GDL compliance and policing theory in Australia; Evaluation of NZ Police licensing programme for young offenders; and the Australian DRIVE project, a cohort study of 20,822 young drivers.

Rebecca is on the Governing Council and Vice President (Finance and Administration) for the Australasian College of Road Safety and is the Co-Chair of the NZ Chapter. She is on the management board for two University of Otago Research Themes (CARE, TRN) and is on the editorial board for leading international journals: Journal of Safety Research and Journal of Road Safety.

Postgraduate research opportunities

Several project opportunities exist with the Transport, Mobility and Health Research Group.

Current and past student projects

Reducing Road Offending Behaviour Using an Integrated Deterrence-based Model (E Hassan)
A descriptive analysis of driving and transportation planning for rural and urban older drivers in New Zealand (C Sreng)
Driving to the Conditions: Driver Behaviour in Youths (L Kettle)
Analysing Media Representation of Bike Lanes in New Zealand (F Grieve)
A Smartphone Course: A Way to Improve Elderly Digital Literacy (J Lin)

Current projects

Principal Investigator, Predictors and impact of driving cessation on older adults and whānau/families (2018-2022, funded by HRC: NZ PATHS)

Past projects

Associate Investigator, Young Adult Compliance (YAC) Project: The road to compliance: Integrating three theories to better understand provisional drivers’ compliance behaviour (2018–2021, funded by an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Research Award to Dr Lyndel Bates, Griffith University)
Associate Investigator, Young Driver DRIVE Cohort Re-linkage Project (2017-2021, funded by NRMA-ACT Road Safety Trust, Australia)
Co-Principal Investigator, Evaluation of the Dunedin Community Driving Programme, (2016-2018, funded by DSM)
Principal Investigator, Older drivers, families and GPs: Navigating the path between mobility and safety (2015-2018, funded by HRC)
Principal Investigator, Testing risk segmentation model for young drivers (2014, funded by New Zealand Transport Agency)
Co-investigator, New Zealand Drivers Study: A follow-up of newly licensed drivers (2005-2013, funded by HRC, ACC, Road Safety Trust)
Co-investigator, Liquor Licensing Support Officer Trial Evaluation (2005, funded by NZ Police)
Co-investigator, Monitoring the ACC Stop Bus Programme (2002-2005, funded by ACC).

Additional details

Awarded a 2018 HRC Project Grant 18/345
Awarded a 2015 HRC Project Grant 15/261
Awarded a Griffith Criminology Institute and School of Criminology and Criminal Justice Visiting Scholars Award (2018)
Awarded invitation to the Commonwealth Science Conference, Bangalore, India, November 2014. Invited by the Royal Society (London) and the Science Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India.
Awarded a University of Otago Division of Health Sciences Career Development Programme Postdoctoral Fellowship (2013–2015)

Publications

Bates, L., Alexander, M., Seccombe, J., & McLean, R. (2024). Driver thrill seeking mediates the effect of gender on traffic offending for young drivers. Transportation Research Part F, 102, 233-240. doi: 10.1016/j.trf.2024.03.002 Journal - Research Article

McLean, R. (2023, September). Findings from NZ Prospective Older Adult Transport and Health Study. Verbal presentation at the Australasian Road Safety Conference (ARSC): Safe Travel for All, [Hybrid]. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Senserrick, T., Möller, H., Boufous, S., Stevenson, M., Williamson, A., Patton, G., McLean, R., … Ivers, R. (2023). Learning with a supervisor who has traffic offences and young driver crashes: The DRIVE study 13-year follow-up. Journal of Adolescent Health. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.06.018 Journal - Research Article

McLean, R., Colhoun, S., & Widyastuti, N. (2023, May). Older drivers, transport and health. Verbal presentation at the Connect with Transport Research Symposium, Christchurch, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

McLean, R. (2023, March). NZPATHS: What, why and how. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Prospective Older Adult Transport and Health Study (PATHS) Project Symposium, Wellington, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

2024

Journal - Research Article

2023

Journal - Research Article

Cullen, P., Möller, H., Baffsky, R., Martiniuk, A., Senserrick, T., Rogers, K., … McLean, R., … Ivers, R. Q. (2023). Self-harm in adolescence and risk of crash: A 13-year cohort study of novice drivers in New South Wales, Australia. Injury Prevention. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1136/ip-2022-044807

Bates, L., Seccombe, J., Alexander, M., & McLean, R. (2023). The impact of parenting style on perceptions of police and offending intentions of young drivers: Evidence from Australia. Crime Prevention & Community Safety, 25, 62-81. doi: 10.1057/s41300-022-00168-8

Journal - Research Other

Boufous, S., Möller, H., Patton, G., Woodward, M., Stevenson, M. R., Senserrick, T., McLean, R., … Ivers, R. Q. (2023). Acculturation and risk of traffic crashes in young Asian-born Australian drivers [Brief report]. Injury Prevention, 29, 74-78. doi: 10.1136/ip-2022-044718

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

McLean, R., Colhoun, S., & Widyastuti, N. (2023, May). Older drivers, transport and health. Verbal presentation at the Connect with Transport Research Symposium, Christchurch, New Zealand.

McLean, R. (2023, March). NZPATHS: What, why and how. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Prospective Older Adult Transport and Health Study (PATHS) Project Symposium, Wellington, New Zealand.

2022

Journal - Research Article

Hassan, E. H. A., Bates, L., McLean, R., & Ready, J. (2022). Influencing driver offending behavior: Using an integrated deterrence-based model. Crime & Delinquency. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/00111287221130950

Bates, L., Hassan, E. H. A., Soderlind, D., & McLean, R. (2022). Does procedural justice predict intentions to speed? Evidence from a sample of young drivers. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 16, 100709. doi: 10.1016/j.trip.2022.100709

Taylor, J. E., McLean, R., Samaranayaka, A., & Connolly, M. J. (2022). How does driving anxiety relate to the health and quality of life of older drivers? Journal of Applied Gerontology, 41(5), 1312-1320. doi: 10.1177/07334648211072540

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

McLean, R., Grieve, F., & Wild, K. (2022, November). Shaping the narrative: Analysing media representation of bike lanes. Verbal presentation at the 4th Transport Research Network (TRN) Symposium, Dunedin, New Zealand.

2021

Journal - Research Article

Bates, L., Anderson, L., & McLean, R. (2021). Exploring young drivers' perceptions of procedurally just policing. Policing, 15(3), 1933-1947. doi: 10.1093/police/paab016

Connor, J., Brookland, R., & Samaranayaka, A. (2021). Older drivers and their future mobility: Views and involvement of their adult children. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 40(1), 55-66. doi: 10.1177/0733464819894545

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

McLean, R. (2021, September). Screening older drivers: The experiences of general practitioners with medical fitness to drive assessments. Verbal presentation at the Australasian Road Safety Conference (ARSC): Towards Zero: A Fresh Approach, [Online].

2020

Journal - Research Article

Butler, M., Brookland, R., Thatcher Shope, J., Kerse, N., & Connolly, M. J. (2020). Medical fitness to drive assessment with older drivers: A qualitative study with general practitioners in New Zealand. Journal of Transport & Health, 17, 100856. doi: 10.1016/j.jth.2020.100856

2019

Journal - Research Article

Shope, J. T., Begg, D., & Brookland, R. (2019). Older former drivers’ health, activity, and transport in New Zealand. Journal of Transport & Health, 14, 100559. doi: 10.1016/j.jth.2019.04.005

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Brookland, R., Owen, H., Connor, J., Kerse, N., Taylor, J., Crengle, S., … Cameron, C., Samaranayaka, A., & Connolly, M. (2019). Transport practices, mobility needs and cessation planning: New Zealand Prospective Older Adult Transport and Health Study (NZPATHS). Proceedings of the 6th Annual Transport Knowledge Conference (TKC): Transport's Contribution to Wellbeing and Liveability. (pp. 31-32). Retrieved from https://www.transportknowledgeconference.nz/

Brookland, R. (2019). Active and alternative transport use amongst older drivers: Population-based survey. In S. Mandic & K. Coppell (Eds.), Proceedings of The Active Living and Environment Symposium (TALES): Linking Transport, Health and Sustainability. (pp. 37). Dunedin, New Zealand: University of Otago. [Abstract]

2018

Journal - Research Article

Taylor, J. E., Connolly, M. J., Brookland, R., & Samaranayaka, A. (2018). Understanding driving anxiety in older adults. Maturitas, 118, 51-55. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2018.10.008

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Beaumont, S., Brookland, R., Connor, J., & Samaranayaka, A. (2018). Preparing for driving cessation: More thought than action [Extended abstract]. Proceedings of the Australasian Road Safety Conference (ARSC). Retrieved from http://acrs.org.au/

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Brookland, R. (2018, February). GP perspectives of assessing fitness to drive in older patients. Verbal presentation at the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine In-House Convention, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Brookland, R. (2018, March). Mobility as a key to ageing well. Verbal presentation at the Ageing Well Colloquium: Biological, Social, and Social Dimensions, Dunedin, New Zealand.

2017

Journal - Research Article

Begg, D., Brookland, R., & Connor, J. (2017). Associations of repeated high alcohol use with unsafe driving behaviours, traffic offences, and traffic crashes among young drivers: Findings from the New Zealand Drivers Study. Traffic Injury Prevention, 18(2), 111-117. doi: 10.1080/15389588.2016.1224345

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Bell, M., Brookland, R., & Sullivan, S. J. (2017, November). Facilitating more mobilities for seniors: Relationiships and systems that stretch 'life spaces'. Poster session presented at the 8th New Zealand/Aotearoa Mobilities Symposium, Dunedin, New Zealand.

2016

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Brookland, R. (2016). Engagement of older drivers, families and GP to investigate the safety and mobility needs of an ageing population [Extended abstract]. Proceedings of the Australasian Road Safety Conference (ARSC). Retrieved from http://acrs.org.au/

Brookland, R. (2016). How can we best help older people maintain driving independence and minimise impact of driving cessation? International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 23(Suppl. 1), (pp. S152). doi: 10.1007/s12529-016-9586-3

2015

Journal - Research Article

Begg, D., & Brookland, R. (2015). Participation in driver education/training courses during graduated driver licensing, and the effect of a time-discount on subsequent traffic offenses: Findings from the New Zealand Drivers Study. Journal of Safety Research, 55, 13-20. doi: 10.1016/j.jsr.2015.07.003

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Brookland, R. (2015, August). Young and older drivers: Balance between safety and independence. Invited presentation at the Inaugural Dunedin School of Medicine Symposium, Dunedin, New Zealand.

2014

Journal - Research Article

Begg, D. J., Langley, J. D., Brookland, R. L., Ameratunga, S., & Gulliver, P. (2014). Pre-licensed driving experience and car crash involvement during the learner and restricted, licence stages of graduated driver licensing: Findings from the New Zealand Drivers Study. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 62, 153-160. doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2013.08.027

Brookland, R., Begg, D., Langley, J., & Ameratunga, S. (2014). Parental influence on adolescent compliance with graduated driver licensing conditions and crashes as a restricted licensed driver: New Zealand Drivers Study. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 69, 30-39. doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2013.06.034

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Brookland, R., & Begg, D. (2014). Views, compliance and enforcement of Graduated Driver Licence Conditions: Findings from the New Zealand Drivers Study. Proceedings of the Australasian Road Safety Research, Policing and Education Conference (ARSRPE). Retrieved from http://arsrpe.acrs.org.au/index.cfm?action=main.paper&id=2957

Begg, D., & Brookland, R. (2014). Driver education and training courses for newly licensed drivers: Who participates and for what reasons? Findings from the New Zealand Drivers Study. Proceedings of the Australasian Road Safety Research, Policing and Education Conference (ARSRPE). Retrieved from http://arsrpe.acrs.org.au/index.cfm?action=main.paper&id=2915

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Brookland, R. (2014, February). Parental influence on adolescent graduated driver licensing compliance: New Zealand Drivers Study. Verbal presentation at the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine In-House Convention, Dunedin, New Zealand.

2013

Journal - Research Article

Langley, J., Begg, D., Samaranayaka, A., Brookland, R., & Weiss, H. (2013). Unsupervised driving by learner licence holders: Associated characteristics and crash risk. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 60, 24-30. doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2013.07.021

Gulliver, P., Begg, D., Brookland, R., Ameratunga, S., & Langley, J. (2013). Learner driver experiences and crash risk as an unsupervised driver. Journal of Safety Research, 46, 41-46. doi: 10.1016/j.jsr.2013.03.007

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Begg, D., & Brookland, R. (2013). Alcohol use, intentions to drink drive, perceptions of enforcement at learner licensing and drink driving as a learner and restricted licensed driver. Proceedings of the International Council on Alcohol, Drugs & Traffic Safety (ICADTS). Retrieved from http://www.icadtsinternational.com/documents/?category=19th_T2013_Brisbane

Awarded Doctoral Degree

Brookland, R. L. (2013). Parental influence on the driving experiences of newly licensed young drivers: New Zealand Drivers Study (PhD). University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/3889

2012

Journal - Research Article

Langley, J., Begg, D., Brookland, R., Ameratunga, S., McDowell, A., & Broughton, J. (2012). Establishment of the New Zealand Drivers Study. New Zealand Medical Journal, 125(1357). Retrieved from http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Langley, J., Begg, D., Brookland, R., Samaranayaka, A., Jordan, H., & Davie, G. (2012). Nonprogression through graduated driver licensing: Characteristics, traffic offending, and reasons for nonprogression. Traffic Injury Prevention, 13(1), 7-13. doi: 10.1080/15389588.2011.635170

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Begg, D., Langley, J., Brookland, R., Gulliver, P., & Ameratunga, S. (2012). Does pre-licensed driving experience affect crash risk as an unsupervised restricted licensed driver? Findings from the New Zealand Drivers Study. Injury Prevention, 18(Suppl. 1), (pp. A1). doi: 10.1136/injuryprev-2012-040580a.1

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Brookland, R., Begg, D., Langley, J., & et al (2012, October). Parents place fewer driving limits on the riskiest young drivers: New Zealand Drivers Study. Verbal presentation at the Australasian Road Safety Research, Policing and Education Conference, Wellington, New Zealand.

2011

Journal - Research Article

Brookland, R., & Begg, D. (2011). Adolescent, and their parents, attitudes towards graduated driver licensing and subsequent risky driving and crashes in young adulthood. Journal of Safety Research, 42(2), 109-115.

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Brookland, R., & Begg, D. (2011). Vehicles driven by young drivers, and features important to parents: New Zealand Drivers Study. Proceedings of the Australasian Road Safety Research, Policing and Education Conference. Retrieved from http://144.171.11.39/view.aspx?id=1131423

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Begg, D., Gulliver, P., & Brookland, R. (2011). Newly licensed drivers: How are they learning? Proceedings of the 10th Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion National Conference. Retrieved from http://www.icebergevents.com/injuryprevention2011/

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Brookland, R. (2011, November). Current young driver research at IPRU: New Zealand Drivers' Study. Verbal presentation at the Otago Child and Adolescent Well-Being Research Forum, Dunedin, New Zealand.

2010

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Begg, D., Sullman, M., Brookland, R., Langley, J., Ameratunga, S., & Broughton, J. (2010). Young unlicensed drivers: Are they impulsive, sensation seeking, aggressive, hazardous alcohol or other drug users? Proceedings of the Australasian Road Safety Research Policing Education Conference: Safe System: From Knowledge to Action. Retrieved from http://trid.trb.org/view/1097067

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Brookland, R., Begg, D., Langley, J., & Ameratunga, S. (2010). Risk perception and risky driving behaviours of adolescents and their parents: New Zealand Drivers Study. Injury Prevention. 16(Suppl. 1), (pp. A170). doi: 10.1136/ip.2010.029215.607

2009

Journal - Research Article

Brookland, R., Begg, D., Langley, J., & Ameratunga, S. (2009). Parent and adolescent risky driving behaviours: New Zealand Drivers Study. Journal of the Australasian College of Road Safety, 20(1), 52-59.

Begg, D., Langley, J., Brookland, R., McDowell, A., Ameratunga, S., & Broughton, J. (2009). The opinions of newly licensed drivers in New Zealand on the minimum car driver licensing age and reasons for getting a licence. New Zealand Medical Journal, 122(1306). Retrieved from http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/122-1306/3880/content.pdf

Begg, D., Langley, J., Broughton, J., Brookland, R., Ameratunga, S., & McDowell, A. (2009). New Zealand drivers study: A follow-up study of newly licensed drivers. Injury Prevention, 15(4), e2. doi: 10.1136/ip.2009.021998

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Brookland, R., Begg, D., Langley, J., McDowell, A., Ameratunga, S., & Broughton, J. (2009). Research to inform policy: Newly licensed drivers and parents opinions on the minimum car driver licensing age. Proceedings of the New Zealand Public Health Association Annual Conference: Research & Values: The Underpinnings of Public Health Practice. (pp. 86). Retrieved from http://www.pha.org.nz/phaconference.html

Brookland, R., Begg, D., Langley, J., & Ameratunga, S. (2009). Parents' knowledge, attitudes and experiences regarding graduated driver licensing. Proceedings of the Injury Prevention Network of Aotearoa New Zealand 10th Conference: Weaving the Strands. IPANZ. Retrieved from http://www.ipn.org.nz/page.php?p=128&fp=103

Brookland, R., Begg, D., Langley, J., McDowell, A., Ameratunga, S., & Broughton, J. (2009). The opinions of newly licensed drivers and parents in New Zealand on the minimum car driver licensing age. Australasian Epidemiologist. 16(2), (pp. 77). [Abstract]

2008

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Brookland, R., Begg, D., Langley, J., & Ameratunga, S. (2008). Parent and adolescent risky driving behaviours: New Zealand Drivers Study. Proceedings of the Australasian Road Safety Research, Policing and Education (ARSRPE) Conference. Retrieved from http://arsrpe.acrs.org.au/index.cfm?action=main.paper&id=738

2005

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Brookland, R., & Begg, D. (2005). The influence of attitudes to Graduated Driver Licensing on subsequent risky driving behaviours. Proceedings of the Australasian Road Safety Research Policing Education Conference. (pp. 231-235). Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Transport. [Full Paper]

Commissioned Report for External Body

Brookland, R., & Begg, D. (2005). An evaluation of the Liquor Licensing Support Officer trial in Dunedin, Invercagill and Oamaru [Final report]. Dunedin, New Zealand: Injury Prevention Research Unit, University of Otago.

Brookland, R., & Begg, D. (2005). An evaluation of the Liquor Licensing Support Officer trial in Dunedin, Invercagill and Oamaru [Progress report]. Dunedin, New Zealand: Injury Prevention Research Unit, University of Otago.

Brookland, R., Begg, D., Davie, G., & Russell, D. (2005). Monitoring the ACC Stop Bus Programme. Commissioned by Accident Compensation Corporation. Dunedin, New Zealand: Injury Prevention Research Unit, University of Otago. 142p.

2003

Journal - Research Article

Begg, D. J., Brookland, R., Hope, J., Langley, J. D., & Broughton, J. R. (2003). New Zealand drivers study: Developing a methodology for conducting a follow-up study of newly licensed drivers. Journal of Safety Research, 34, 329-336.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Brookland, R., & Begg, D. J. (2003, October). The New Zealand drivers study: Parental involvement in the driving experience of newly licensed drivers - piloting phase. Verbal presentation at the Weaving the Strands 2003: Creative partnerships conference, Wellington.

Begg, D. J., Brookland, R., Hope, J., Langley, J. D., & Broughton, J. R. (2003, September). New Zealand drivers study: The results of a pilot study to develop the procedures for a cohort study of newly licensed drivers in New Zealand. Verbal presentation at the 2003 Road Safety Research Policing and Education Conference, Sydney.

2001

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Begg, D. J., & Brookland, R. (2001). A cohort study of novice drivers in New Zealand. Weaving the Strands: Collaborating, Co-ordinating and Creating a Safety Culture. (pp. 12-13). Wellington: The Injury Prevention Network of Aotearoa New Zealand. [Abstract]