Even though road traffic mortality rates are decreasing in high-income countries, the opposite is true for most middle- and low-income nations with strong population growth. In fact, there has been no reduction in the number of road traffic deaths in any low-income country since 2013.
While road safety is a complex issue and there are many areas that need to be addressed, the World Health Organization believes a shift in the global child health agenda is urgently needed if we are to reduce the number of traffic injuries involving children and young adults.
At Volvo Trucks, we take our part of this responsibility very seriously and continuously strive to improve the safety of our trucks. We also drive progress through collaboration. That is why we have made our customers partners in spreading our traffic awareness programme for children, Stop Look Wave, across the globe. Its aim is simple but effective: to teach children, the most vulnerable of all road users, around the world about the dangers they face on the road and, in particular, how to behave around and interact safely with trucks.
Stop Look Wave was launched in 2014 and is based on extensive research gathered over the past 50 years by Volvo Trucks’ Accident Research Team. Through its investigation and analyses of real-life incidents, it is clear that the majority of road accidents involve human behaviour. Stop Look Wave therefore teaches children to make eye contact with drivers and ensure they remain visible by waving and encouraging the driver to wave back before crossing the road.
Together with our customers, Volvo Trucks has educated more than one million children on how to behave in traffic since the launch of the programme. But we know we can reach many more.
The Stop Look Wave training kit is available to everyone in 10 languages in an easy-to-use format. Download it and help to keep children safer in traffic.
As traffic accidents are a global concern, Volvo Trucks also shares its safety research with society. Read more on the findings of the Volvo Trucks Accident Research Team in the latest Volvo Trucks Safety Report.
