Master’s in Driver Medicine and Safety Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in driver medicine and safety engineering. 12 modules covering traffic medicine and epidemiology, fitness to drive, alcohol and drugs, fatigue and distraction, older and vulnerable drivers, injury biomechanics, passive and active safety, professional driver health, post-crash care and organisational road safety, with an assigned technical tutor.
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Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Analyse road crash epidemiology with a safe system approach.
Assess the psychophysical fitness of drivers according to current regulations.
Identify the effects of alcohol, medicines and drugs on driving.
Design countermeasures against fatigue and distraction.
Interpret biomechanical injury criteria and passive safety tests.
Evaluate driver interaction with ADAS and automated systems.
Implement road safety management systems in organisations.
Who it's for
- Traffic medicine specialists and driver assessment physicians.
- Passive safety engineers working on restraint systems and crash testing.
- Driving human factors researchers.
- Corporate road safety managers.
- Fleet health and safety technicians.
- Road crash analysts in public administration or insurers.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the automotive sector.
What you'll work with
- Royal Decree 818/2009 (Spanish General Drivers Regulation)
- Directive 2006/126/EC (EU driving licences)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 (EU General Safety Regulation for vehicles)
- Regulation (EC) 561/2006 (driving times and rest periods)
- ISO 39001:2012 (road traffic safety management)
- UN Regulation No. 129 (enhanced child restraint systems)
- UN Regulation No. 157 (automated lane keeping systems)
- Law 35/2015 (Spanish scale for personal injury in road accidents)
- SCANeR studio
- LS-DYNA
- THUMS
- Smart Eye Pro
- IBM SPSS Statistics
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Road crashes and burden of disease1.2Driver, vehicle and road risk factors1.3Haddon matrix and the safe system approach1.4Crash databases: ARENA, CARE and FARS1.5Injuries by age and vulnerable road users1.6Socio-economic cost of road crashes1.7Global Plan for the Decade of Action 2021-20301.8Spanish Road Safety Strategy 20301.9On-scene crash data collection1.10Case study: epidemiological analysis of a road section
2.1General Drivers Regulation and its Annex IV2.2Directive 2006/126/EC on driving licences2.3Driver assessment centres2.4Cardiovascular disease and driving2.5Diabetes, hypoglycaemia and driving2.6Epilepsy, syncope and neurological disorders2.7Visual acuity, visual field and glare2.8Obstructive sleep apnoea2.9Psychiatric disorders and driving2.10Case study: fitness report for a professional driver
3.1Alcohol pharmacokinetics and blood alcohol concentration3.2Effects of psychoactive substances on performance3.3Medicines with a driving pictogram3.4Detection in saliva and breath3.5Alcohol interlocks and rehabilitation3.6Polydrug use and relative crash risk3.7The DRUID project and European evidence3.8Prevention in professional fleets3.9Prevalence of substances in killed drivers3.10Workshop: substance testing protocol in a company
4.1Physiology of drowsiness at the wheel4.2Microsleeps and detection with PERCLOS4.3Regulation (EC) 561/2006 on driving times4.4Smart tachograph and compliance4.5Visual, manual and cognitive distraction4.6Mobile phones and infotainment4.7DDAW and ADDW systems in Regulation 2019/21444.8Breaks and countermeasure strategies4.9Physiological signs of drowsiness: EEG and heart rate4.10Laboratory: drowsiness detection with eye tracking
5.1Cognitive and sensory changes with age5.2Functional assessment of the older driver5.3Mild cognitive impairment and dementia5.4Novice drivers and the penalty points system5.5Drivers with disabilities and adaptations5.6Alternative mobility and driving cessation5.7Simulator tests for assessment5.8Driving assistance for older people5.9Vulnerable users: motorcyclists and cyclists5.10Case study: vehicle adaptation for tetraplegia
6.1Injury mechanisms in frontal collisions6.2Side impact and thoracic injuries6.3Whiplash in rear-end collisions6.4AIS, ISS and MAIS scales6.5HIC, Nij and chest deflection criteria6.6Hybrid III, THOR and WorldSID dummies6.7THUMS and GHBMC human body models6.8Short-statured and obese occupants6.9Pedestrian protection and head criteria6.10Laboratory: impact simulation with a human body model
7.1Seat belts, pretensioners and load limiters7.2Frontal, side and knee airbags7.3R44 and R129 child restraint systems7.4Seats and head restraints7.5Euro NCAP occupant protection protocols7.6UN Regulations R94, R95 and R1377.7Non-conventional postures in automated vehicles7.8Rescue sheets and occupant extrication7.9Safety of restraint systems in buses7.10Case study: interpreting a Euro NCAP test
8.1Autonomous emergency braking8.2Lane keeping and adaptive cruise control8.3Driver monitoring systems8.4Human-machine interaction and warnings8.5Control transition in level 3 automation8.6UN Regulation R157 on ALKS8.7Acceptance of and overreliance on automation8.8Naturalistic driving studies8.9Validation of ADAS in real-world driving8.10Laboratory: takeover study in a simulator
9.1Musculoskeletal disorders in drivers9.2Whole-body vibration in trucks and buses9.3Sedentary behaviour, obesity and cardiovascular risk9.4Stress and psychosocial factors9.5Noise and pollutants in the cab9.6Health surveillance in transport companies9.7Health promotion programmes9.8Ergonomic cab design9.9Irregular schedules and sleep disorders9.10Practical: health plan for a bus fleet
10.1Chain of survival and the golden hour10.2eCall and automatic crash notification10.3Triage and pre-hospital care10.4Traumatic brain and spinal cord injury10.5Rehabilitation and sequelae10.6Law 35/2015 scale and personal injury10.7Psychological support for victims10.8Hospital data and under-reporting of injuries10.9Event data recorders and crash data10.10Case study: injury reconstruction of a crash
11.1ISO 39001 road traffic safety management11.2Mobility plans and work-related road safety11.3Commuting and on-duty crashes11.4Telematics and driver scoring11.5Safe and efficient driving training11.6Monitoring indicators and benchmarking11.7Fleet crash investigation11.8Safety culture and leadership11.9Management of transport subcontractors11.10Workshop: ISO 39001 audit of a logistics company
12.1Formulation of the research question12.2Systematic review of the evidence12.3Sample selection and assessment method12.4Data collection in a simulator or in the field12.5Statistical analysis of risk factors12.6Proposal of a preventive intervention12.7Ethical and data protection assessment12.8Conclusions applicable to road safety policy12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable materials, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme is compatible with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is SCANeR studio, LS-DYNA, THUMS, Smart Eye Pro and IBM SPSS Statistics, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: drowsiness studies in a driving simulator, fitness assessment of professional drivers and injury simulation with human body models. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: General Drivers Regulation (Royal Decree 818/2009), Directive 2006/126/EC, Regulation (EU) 2019/2144, Regulation (EC) 561/2006, ISO 39001:2012, UN Regulation No. 129, UN Regulation No. 157, Law 35/2015 on the assessment of damages.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with SCANeR studio, LS-DYNA, THUMS, Smart Eye Pro and IBM SPSS Statistics, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A university degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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