Volvo Group's safety knowledge to reduce traffic accidents in humanitarian aid transports

The Volvo Group is initiating co-operation with 40 humanitarian aid organisations worldwide to increase awareness of traffic safety issues and reduce the number of accidents in humanitarian aid transports. Among other actions, the Volvo Group's own accident research team will contribute with analyses.

Volvo has signed a declaration of intent covering co-operation in the area of road safety with Fleet Forum, a voluntary association of about 40 humanitarian aid organisations worldwide. In accordance with the declaration of intent, Volvo will assist the organisations in analysing traffic accidents and recommend measures to increase general road safety awareness of traffic safety issues and to reduce the number of accidents.

The humanitarian aid organisations will receive customised data sheets, with the aim to facilitate the reporting of traffic accidents. The collection of data will begin in mid-2006, and the first report will be presented in 2007. The Volvo Group's own accident research team will analyse the causes of the accidents and present recommendations for measures to reduce the number of accidents and their consequences. The project will continue until 2009, and a total of three reports will be presented.

Since 1969 Volvo has been conducting its own accident research, a program that is now an integrated part of the Group's product development. In conjunction with a traffic accident involving a heavy vehicle, representatives of the accident research team are sent out to investigate the cause and site of the accident. The information collected is analysed and experience from the accident investigation board's work is then used in product development.

Based on the accident research team's work, Volvo Group has developed several different automotive systems through the years to reduce the risk of accidents and their consequences. Some examples include ESP (Electronic Stability Program), which reduces the risk of skidding on slippery roads and rollovers on sharp bends, and ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), which automatically adapts a vehicle's speed to slow-moving vehicles in front. Three decades of accident research have also shown that seat belts are still the single most effective measure to reduce the risk of injuries for the driver in an accident.

The Fleet Forum, based in Geneva, is a joint initiative by the WFP (UN World Food Program), IFRC (International Federation of the Red Cross) and World Vision International and represents more than 40 humanitarian aid organizations. The organisations that comprise the Fleet Forum run a combined fleet of more than 60,000 vehicles and have annual operating costs of about USD 800 M (£ 421.8m). The Fleet Forum's goal is to increase its humanitarian transport capacity through development and utilisation of uniform work methods for vehicle fleet management and operation.