“The goal is to work together to find solutions to influence this trend," says Leif Östling, President and CEO of Scania.

“Our contribution on the part of the truck industry is to raise the issue to the highest level possible, not least to put it on the political agenda. In parallel, we can contribute with technical solutions and innovations that promote road safety, an area in which Scania has a long and renowned tradition,” explains Leif Östling.

The main speaker at the seminar, held in the Palais Mondial de l’Automobile, was Robert Coleman, Director General of the European Commission’s Transport Di-rectorate. Loyola de Palacio – the new Commission Vice President in charge of relations with the European Parliament as well as for transport and energy matters – has announced that in the future, the European Union will deal with traffic safety issues at a higher level. The EU is planning a number of practical measures during the coming months, including raising driver training standards.

In Scania’s view, drivers are the single most important link in the chain when it comes to improving both traffic safety and the environment. Making it easier for truck and bus drivers to do their job is a high priority in the company’s research and development work.