Public Health Walailak University Brings Gen Z Perspective to National Road Safety Forum at Thailand Safe@Work 2026

Assistant Professor Dr. Junjira Mahaboon, Deputy Dean of the School of Public Health, Walailak University, joined the academic panel discussion “Road Safety: Safe Roads for a Sustainable Thai Society” at the 38th National Occupational Safety and Health Conference, Thailand Safe@Work #38, held from 24–26 June 2026 at IMPACT Exhibition Center, Muang Thong Thani, Thailand. During the session, Dr. Junjira shared Walailak University’s experience in working with students on road safety and discussed how universities can help prepare Generation Z to become safer and more responsible road users before they enter the workforce and wider society. Her presentation focused on integrating road safety into student learning. Universities, she noted, provide an important setting where young people can develop practical knowledge, risk awareness and personal responsibility alongside their academic and professional training. Among the initiatives discussed was GEN Z ROAD SAFETY, developed by the Occupational Health and Safety Program, School of Public Health, Walailak University. The activity introduces students to road-related risks through learning formats designed for young people, covering everyday issues such as driver and passenger behaviour, risk perception and responsibility toward other road users. The panel brought together representatives and specialists from the Thailand Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Public Organization), T-OSH, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) and university networks. Discussions covered organizational road safety measures, engagement with young people and cooperation among universities, safety agencies and public health partners. A central issue raised during the session was that road traffic injuries cannot be reduced through individual driver behaviour alone. Safer roads require coordinated action across organizational policies, the built environment, education and safety culture. For universities, Gen Z is a particularly important group. Many students are approaching working age and will soon become part of Thailand’s professional and social workforce. Introducing road safety during their university years gives them an opportunity to understand their role not simply as drivers or passengers, but as members of a society in which individual decisions can affect the safety of others. The discussion placed higher education within the broader national road safety agenda, with universities contributing through education, student engagement and collaboration with organizations working in occupational safety and health promotion.