New support systems to reduce truck accidents

Human error is involved in roughly 90 percent of all traffic accidents with, in the case of truck drivers, fatigue and distraction being the most common causes. With this in mind, Volvo Trucks has been developing several advanced support systems to increase drivers’ control of the situation.

“We’ve always aimed for the highest possible collision safety and are very advanced on this front,” says Lars-Göran Löwenadler, Volvo Trucks’ Safety Director. “Now we’re focusing on accident prevention. Volvo’s strategy here is to make things easier for drivers, not to take over the responsibility for their driving.”

‘Driver Alert Support’ – a Volvo ‘first’ in Europe
Independent studies show that 10-20 percent of all single-vehicle accidents are caused by driver fatigue. In response, Volvo believes they are the first truck manufacturer in Europe to develop a system that uses a camera to monitor the vehicle's course in relation to the road markings. Using ‘Driver Alert Support’, if a driving pattern is perceived as irregular, the driver is alerted by an audible signal and a text message in the driver information display. If the irregular pattern continues, the driver is cautioned to stop and take a break.


Improving visibility
Another common cause of truck accidents is reduced visibility where blind spots, bends, darkness and poor visibility reduce the driver's control.

“That’s why an extra eye is needed in certain situations, for instance during lane changes,” explains Stefan Svensson, Product Manager for Electrical Systems at Volvo Trucks.

Volvo’s new ‘Lane Changing Support’ provides this extra ‘eye’ with a radar sensor that helps the driver detect other vehicles in the blind spot on the passenger side. The driver is alerted by a light signal in the A-pillar and an intensified indicator noise.

“Driving round bends in the dark is also a risky manoeuvre, because road edges are usually poorly lit,” explains Stefan Svensson. “To improve safety in these situations, we're launching Cornering lights that illuminate the edge of the road. They’re automatically activated with the indicators on either side of the vehicle at speeds below 30kph (20mph).”

To improve driving safety in adverse weather, Volvo will now become the first truck manufacturer in Europe to offer a rain sensor option for all FH and FM trucks. The sensor gauges the rain's intensity and automatically adjusts the speed of the windscreen wipers to suit.

Prevents overturning accidents with trailers – a world first
Volvo’s Electronic Stability Program (ESP) system has been found to play a decisive role in many driving situations where the driver would otherwise have risked losing control of the vehicle. Until now, the system has only been available for tractors. Now Volvo is the first truck manufacturer in the world to launch ESP for 6x2 trucks with trailers.

By braking the trailer’s wheels in certain situations, ESP helps stabilise the whole truck and trailer combination and prevent overturning or jack-knife accidents. ESP will also be available for tractors with multiple trailers, which means it will also be compatible with 25.25m combinations in the European Modular System.

The new ESP system is especially advantageous for hazardous goods transports, a segment with high safety regulations.

Volvo training for higher traffic safety
In 2009 the EU will introduce new CPC training regulations requiring truck drivers to be trained in areas including safety. Volvo already offers safety training that meets these requirements.

“Each year, over 40,000 people are killed in traffic accidents in Europe. This makes safety training vital. Our training makes drivers’ work better, safer and less stressful, thereby reducing the risk of accidents,” concludes Lars-Göran Löwenadler.