Success for Stop Look Wave

100,000 children all over the world have done the Volvo Trucks traffic safety course

Volvo Trucks’ traffic safety course for children, Stop Look Wave, has been a major international success. Since the programme was launched globally a year ago, about 100,000 children have learned how to interact safely with commercial vehicles in traffic. Just in time for the anniversary of the launch, Volvo Trucks is releasing a new film on YouTube (link) to spread the message even further afield.

“With Stop Look Wave we’re giving children the world over the opportunity to better understand how trucks operate in traffic. In an easy to understand way, we aim to make them aware of the risks and how best to avoid them,” says Carl Johan Almqvist, Traffic & Product Safety Director at Volvo Trucks.

Important to see and be seen
In most traffic accidents, the human factor plays a decisive role. For instance, it can sometimes be difficult for a driver to detect pedestrians and cyclists who are close to the truck. The training programme therefore focuses on how important it is for children to be attentive and to make eye contact with the truck driver, either directly or via the rear-view mirrors. Among much else, the children learn to stop, look carefully around them, and make the driver clearly aware of their presence by waving at him or her before crossing the street.

“We work continuously to reduce accident risks by equipping our trucks with intelligent safety systems and by training drivers in safe driving techniques, but a safe traffic environment is based on the smooth and dependable interaction of all road users. That’s why it is so important to lay the foundations for safe behaviour at an early age,” explains Carl Johan Almqvist.


100,000 children did the course in one year
Volvo Trucks has conducted similar campaigns nationally or regionally for many years. But Stop Look Wave, which was launched globally in 2015, has achieved far more widespread coverage. To date about 100,000 children in 13 countries all across the world have done the course. Finland, Brazil, South Africa and South Korea are some examples. Stop Look Wave was recently launched with considerable media attention in Australia, and this autumn the programme will be rolled out in the USA and Spain, among other countries.

Much of the spread of this programme takes place via the Volvo Group’s own employees and networks around the world, as well as by customers and partners. The programme is also supported by the International Road Transport Organisation. The material, which is freely available on the Volvo Group website (link) can be found in 10 languages and is used by schools, haulage companies, traffic-safety organisations and many others.

“The programme is easy to tailor to local conditions and integrate into the school’s education system. Above all it has an important universal message that is easy for children to understand and absorb,” says Carl Johan Almqvist.

New animated film
Almost exactly one year after the original launch a new film (link) is being released, with animated truck driver Tim in the lead role.

“We naturally want as many people as possible to internalise Stop Look Wave. That’s why we’re bringing the message alive with an animated film and distributing it via a wide range of channels such as YouTube.”
 
 
Facts about Stop Look Wave:

• Stop Look Wave is Volvo Trucks’ traffic safety programme for children aged between 5 and 11.
• Available in 10 languages.
• Available for both left-hand drive and right-hand drive markets.
• Has so far been used by about 100,000 children in 13 countries.
• Based on a training course originally developed by Volvo Trucks in Denmark.
• Can be downloaded free of charge from Volvo Group (link).
   

Download high resolution images for Stop Look Wave (link)

May 27, 2016

For further information, please contact:
Eva Lindeberger, media relations Volvo Trucks
phone: +46 31 322 8078, e-mail eva.lindeberger@volvo.com 

For broadcast-quality videos supporting this press release and more, please visit http://www.thenewsmarket.com/volvotrucks
Press images and films are available in the Volvo Trucks image and film gallery at http://images.volvotrucks.com 
 
 
Volvo Trucks provides complete transport solutions for professional and demanding customers, offering a full range of medium to heavy duty trucks. Customer support is secured via a global network of 2,200 dealers and workshops in more than 125 countries. Volvo trucks are assembled in 15 countries across the globe. In 2015, more than 113,000 Volvo trucks were delivered worldwide. Volvo Trucks is part of Volvo Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks, buses and construction equipment and marine and industrial engines. The Group also provides solutions for financing and service. Volvo’s work is based on the core values of quality, safety and environmental care.