Compared with the driver of a passenger car,
the driver of a truck has far less chance
to see what is happening around his or her vehicle.
Visibility on the passenger side is particularly poor.
Studies reveal that 20 % of the acci- dents that take place at intersections,
in which a truck hits a cyclist or a pedestrian,
occur when the driver is turning right.
It's extremely difficult for the truck driver,
because you have some blind spots around the truck.
Especially on the passenger side, as we say.
We are continuously developing new systems and looking into new ideas.
This is something that we need to do,
as we are one of the big players in the trucking industry.
Within the framework of the EU-funded safety project, known as Intersafe-2,
Volvo Trucks has developed a system which will attempt to resolve
the problem of driver blind spots on the right-hand side.
Malte Ahrholdt is the project manager
at the Volvo Group's technology company Volvo Technology.
He has been responsible for developing this system in a test truck.
We have equipped the truck with a couple of sensors
in order to observe this area and detect pedestrians or cyclists.
Five laser scanners and three ultrasonic sensors
scan the area in front of and to the right of the truck.
When a pedestrian or cyclist enters the blind spot,
then first, information is issued.
And when the situation evolves to become more dangerous,
even a warning is issued.
The cab also contains a TV monitor,
which gives a bird's-eye view of all the blind spots around the truck.
The system we have developed is an outcome of a research project.
It will be several years until we can see this type of technology in traffic.
Even if the Intersafe-2 isn't on the market just yet,
Volvo Trucks offer, in addition to the rear-view mirrors required by law,
other good solutions for better safety in and around the truck.
You can put on cameras to see more of the blind spots.
We have our Lane Change Support, which is one system,
but at somewhat higher speeds than over 30 kilometres/hour.
But at the same time, it's not only the truck and the truck driver.
We need to also look at the vulnerable road users.
When they're standing next to a truck, they don't really understand
that the truck driver might not be able to see them.
In Denmark, Volvo Trucks is running a project
known as Road Safety at Eye Level. People from Volvo Trucks visit schools
and teach children how to behave around trucks in traffic.
This project was initiated
because many accidents took place when trucks made a right turn.
Most of the people involved were children.
At the schools, the children are given theoretical and practical training.
To date, the project has visited more than 60,000 children all over Denmark.
And, since the project began, accidents associated with right turns
have decreased, from around ten in 2003, to one in 2009.
It is difficult to know how much the campaign
has contributed to this reduction,
but there is an enormous demand for visits from Danish schools.
What is more, Volvo Trucks has taken the initiative
and started similar projects in a number of European countries.
We work with all aspects of safety.
Everybody that is in the traffic environment
needs to be aware of these concerns.