The human factor is involved in roughly 90 percent of all traffic accidents. In the case of truck drivers, fatigue and distraction are the most common causes. Volvo Trucks has developed 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 – first in Europe
Independent studies show that 10-20 percent of all single-vehicle accidents are caused by driver fatigue. In response, Volvo has, as the first truck manufacturer in Europe, developed Driver Alert Support, a system that uses a camera to monitor the vehicle's course in relation to the road markings. If the driving pattern is perceived as irregular, the driver is alerted by an audible signal and a text message. 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. Blind spots, curves, 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. A radar sensor 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 curves 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. It’s automatically activated along with the indicators on either side of the vehicle at speeds below 30 kph.”
To improve driving safety in adverse weather, Volvo, as the first truck manufacturer in Europe, now offers a rain sensor as an option for 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 stability system, ESP (Electronic Stability Program), 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. This means it will also be compatible with 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 laws 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.