The
interaction between the driver and truck lies at the very heart of
Volvo Trucks’ world-leading safety work. “With increasing numbers
of advanced support systems in the trucks, it is more important
than ever to focus on the person behind the wheel,” says Volvo
Trucks’ new Traffic and Product Safety Director Carl Johan
Almqvist.
Carl Johan Almqvist is to continue Volvo's successful work within
traffic and product safety. "Volvo Trucks' safety work is world
class. My ambition as new on the job is to increase the driver
focus in the development work", says Carl Johan Almqvist.
Human error lies behind about 75 percent of all traffic accidents
and Volvo Trucks has specialised in developing systems that prevent
one of the most common accident causes: fatigue. In 2008, several
advanced support systems were launched, including the world-first
Driver Alert Support which warns the driver if the system regards
his or her driving as erratic.
"Alcohol is the most common cause for fatal traffic accidents. In
this area we advocate zero tolerance and are leading safety
progress by for instance factory fitted alco-locks", continues Carl
Johan Almqvist.
Drivers without safety
belts are a challenge
The drive to prevent
accidents takes place in parallel with continued emphasis on
maximum possible collision safety - and here too the driver is in
focus. Carl Johan Almqvist:
"Although we have had safety belts in our trucks for many years,
there are still many drivers who choose not to use them. Globally,
several thousand accident victims could be saved by the truck's
most obvious safety feature. This is something we have to improve,
a challenge that is as great as the development of new active
safety systems".
As the new Traffic and Product Safety Director, Carl Johan Almqvist
has taken over responsibility for one of Volvo Trucks' most
important core values. He has 34 years of experience with the
company, both from within product development and the Swedish and
international sales organisations.
Always close to
customers and drivers
Most recently Carl Johan
Almqvist was head of the Volvo Demo Center in Gothenburg.
"I have had the privilege of meeting thousands of our customers and
drivers every year. Many of my discussions have dealt with safety
and what it means to the driver and the haulage firm. This has
given me the opportunity to emphasise important aspects that are
not always so obvious, such as the link between avoiding accidents
and transport economy", explains Carl Johan Almqvist.
In 2009, the EU will introduce new legislation for driver training
that includes safety as an important ingredient. Volvo Trucks was
one step ahead of the legislation and already last year started
offering a safety training course that meets the forthcoming
requirements.
"A well-trained driver experiences less stress and this contributes
to a lower risk of accidents and even to lower costs for damage and
repairs. Furthermore, the training course allows us to spotlight
the importance of the safety belt and other basic safety issues",
says Carl Johan Almqvist.
Integration of new
technology
In
order to contribute to increased traffic safety in the longer term
too, Volvo has coordinated a pan-European research project (AIDE)
which among other things examines data on how the driver handles
safety and information systems while driving.
"With the advent of increasingly sophisticated support systems, it
is important that they do their job without disrupting the driver.
It's all about coordinating the various technical solutions and
tailoring them to match the flow of traffic and the driver's
situation", says Carl Johan Almqvist. He adds:
"Our aim is to build safe trucks that make the job behind the wheel
easier. However, the truck can never take over the responsibility
of driving. That is and will continue to be the driver's job".