Truck drivers and companies are asked to become involved in Volvo Trucks’ global 'Stop, Look, Wave' pedestrian safety campaign for schoolkids
Volvo Trucks has launched the Australian leg of its global child pedestrian safety campaign.
The company’s global safety director, Carl Johan Almqvist, was on hand to run the launch at the Melbourne Truck Show.
Volvo says a staggering 260,000 children are expected to be killed on the world’s roads this year, with 10 million injured. It hopes its global campaign can help reduce the terrible child toll.
Volvo Australia points to an expected “boom” in the number of trucks on the road in this country, with more than half a million already registered, and the road freight task forecast to double by 2030.
“Very few children are afraid of traffic,” Almqvist points out.
“It’s especially difficult for truck drivers to see quick-moving little people which is why we’re rolling out this free education campaign to teach Aussie kids to Stop on the side of the road, Look both ways, and Wave at the truck driver before they cross,” he says.
“We don’t want children to be afraid of trucks but their attention is limited, so we need to teach them this simple tip for crossing safely.”
The “Stop, Look, Wave” classroom safety campaign is targeted at children aged 6 to 10.
Kids are encouraged to wave at truckies to let them know they have seen them, and crucially in return, drivers are asked to wave back so the child knows for sure they have gained the driver’s attention.
Year 1 students from Melbourne’s Glen Iris Primary School were on hand at the Truck Show to demonstrate how the simple safety system works.
Waving back from the cab of a Volvo demonstrator without wheels was a driver with big national waste management company and Volvo customer, Toxfree.
Toxfree is partnering with Volvo to implement “Stop, Look, Wave” and says its trucks will be visiting schools across Australia to give students a look at the view from behind the steering wheel.
Toxfree’s general manager of corporate and risk, Jason Dixon, says more than 700 Toxfree drivers will be educated to wave back to kids.
“Thousands of waste and recycling trucks are on the streets every day and a lot of them are out in the morning when children are heading to school,” Dixon points out.
Campaign kits include an entertaining 30-minute interactive slideshow, starring an animated truck driver named Tim who also warns about blind spots and trailer sweep on corners.
The slideshow doubles as a good general introduction to trucks for kids, and can be presented by trucking company representatives in the presence of the class teacher or parents.
“Stop, Look, Wave” kits can be downloaded from this Volvo website.
Check out our full coverage of the Melbourne Truck Show in an upcoming issue of ATN.