At the International Cycling Safety Conference in Bologna, Italy, Volvo Trucks launched its new global traffic safety campaign ‘See and Be Seen’ - a new initiative to improve safety awareness among unprotected, vulnerable road-users. With a new global training package this programme is directed at cyclists aged 12 years and above and is a continuation of Volvo’s successful traffic-safety training programme for young children, ‘Stop Look Wave’, which has been used for some years all over the world.

“Just like with ‘Stop Look Wave’, the ‘See and Be Seen’ programme aims to improve understanding of how unprotected road-users and trucks can interact in the traffic environment. However, this time we are focusing specifically on cyclists, teenagers and adults alike. With the fast pace of today’s traffic, it is vital that as many people as possible are aware of the risks in order to avoid incidents,” says Carl Johan Almqvist, Traffic and Product Safety Director at Volvo Trucks. 

As the programme’s title suggests, ‘See and Be Seen’ focuses on how important it is to watch surrounding traffic and to make oneself visible to truck drivers, for instance by maintaining eye contact and by keeping a safe distance away from trucks. 

“In order to reduce the risk of traffic accidents, we equip our trucks with increasingly intelligent safety systems and train truck drivers in the art of safe driving. However, since the human factor is of crucial significance in most traffic accidents, it is vital to increase safety awareness among all road-users,” explains Carl Johan Almqvist.

 ‘See and Be Seen’ is designed to be able to be used for secondary schoolchildren from 12 years upwards, but it is also suitable for traffic-safety organisations working with adults. The training package encompasses teacher aids including presentation materials, films and practical exercises.