Heath Ryan

Vote ''Heath'' for Australian of the Year 2024: Twelve Reasons to Change Your Thinking is a satirical work. I don''t take myself seriously in it, but I do take the cause of road safety seriously. Credit for most of the ideas contained in the following twelve minimals is owed primarily to the road safety pioneers and advocates who precede me and from whom I have learned so much.

I became an advocate for better streets and safer roads in Australia after being injured by a careless driver in Sydney in 2015. In the subsequent eight years I have advocated for meaningful change on Australian streets. But I''m just a humble notetaker and an organiser of other people''s thoughts, ideas and research who then applies that wisdom in Australia - home to some of the most dangerous drivers and some of the weakest road rules and enforcement in the world.

Experience has also been a good mentor for me. With well over 180,000 kilometres on the bicycle in thirty-six countries over a dozen or so years, I''ve had ample opportunity to open my eyes, question what I''m looking at and, yes, also change how I think.

Please, please consider changing how you think, too. And don''t forget to vote ''Heath'' for Australian of the Year 2024.