Driver in driver's seat

Scania puts the driver in the driver's seat Endorsed by the European Commission, Scania will organise the second round of the "Young European Truck Driver" competition in 2005. Drivers from all EU member states, plus Norway, Switzerland and Turkey will participate, making this the biggest pan-European competition ever for drivers of heavy trucks. The focus of the event is to promote the importance of the driver for improving safety on the roads and also contributing to a sound economy for the transport industry. The competition literally puts the driver in focus - in the driver's seat - as the single most important actor in the transport business. A skilled and educated driver will stand better chances of avoiding accidents and saving lives, while at the same time using less fuel and lowering repair and maintenance costs for the operator. Skilled driving also contributes to a smoother traffic flow and thus also a global reduction in fuel use and emissions. "I feel confident that this competition over time will contribute to a safer traffic environment and greater awareness of important safety issues among professional drivers in Europe. To have both the European Commission and renowned companies as partners in this work further strengthens my conviction and enthusiasm," says Leif Östling, President and CEO of Scania. Young European Truck Driver is aimed at heavy-truck drivers, and this year all drivers born in 1970 or later are welcome to participate. The competition starts with local qualification rounds in spring 2005 at Scania's dealer premises around Europe. Practical tests such as precision manoeuvring and economic driving will be part of the competition, as will theoretical tests regarding regulations and safety issues. The rules of the competition are inspired by the new directive on driver training issued by the European Commission. Today the majority of professional drivers work solely on the merit of having a driving license. The new directive introduces regular professional driver training, stressing safety rules and safety standards for the transport of goods or passengers. Following the national finals, the European final with the winning drivers from all participating countries will be held at Scania Head Office in Södertälje, Sweden in autumn 2005. The national winners from Young European Truck Driver 2003 have a wild card to the national finals of 2005, just as the European winner 2003, Michele Sandri from Italy, has to the European final in 2005. The Young European Truck Driver competition is to be seen as another step in Scania's long-term efforts to promote road safety and enhance the status of professional drivers. These efforts comprise a combination of items, ranging from training to improve driver competence and support for increased use of seatbelts to various technical innovations. They also support the European Commission's safety objective of halving the number of traffic fatalities by the year of 2010. To further reinforce the focus on road safety, Scania will also in connection with the competition arrange local road safety seminars and meetings with relevant contacts in the participating countries. Information about the Young European Truck Driver competition and Scania's other safety-related work will be issued continuously on Scania's homepage, www.scania.com For further information, please contact Eric Österberg, Vice President Public Relations, tel. +46 70 5900599, eric.osterberg@scania.com [N04029EN] Eric Österberg ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/09/21/20040920BIT00040/wkr0001.pdf