'We need multiple solutions to fix the road safety epidemic': Thomas Broberg, Senior Technical Advisor, Safety, Volvo Cars

There is a need for several solutions to address the issues of road safety in India. Stressing the importance of collaboration between industry, academia, and government agencies, Thomas Broberg, Senior Technical Advisor, Safety, Volvo Cars Safety Centre mentioned how initiatives around joint awareness and dialogue, are integral as preventive measures for accidents.

As part of the keynote address of the Autocar Professional Road Safety Conclave, he talked about the importance of the right mindset in addressing the issue of road safety.

“If you take the global perspective, around 1.35 million people are killed in road traffic accidents every year as per the United Nations statistics,” he stated, adding that it is important to work systematically and have a foundation in data and science, to come up with solutions to the issue of road safety.

“I would like to promote the safe-systems approach presented by the UN WHO, originating from Sweden’s zero strategy aiming at eliminating road injuries and fatalities." He said that while education and information is needed to address this, other means include stricter licensing, besides broad rules and enforcement, and monitoring, management and coordination.

He further added that real-world data is an important means to drive innovation in helping curb fatalities on the road.

"It is important to help people understand and use safety systems available in cars, helmets in case of two-wheelers. We have a mission in doing more to promote this cause," he added.

Critical role of advanced safety technologies

The protection of people inside and outside vehicles is paramount. There are a lot of harmonised tests and the protection part is essential, he emphasised, as he took to the importance of how advanced safety technologies, such as collision avoidance and driver assistance technologies, could be promoted. “We should ensure that a simple mistake does not lead to the worst of consequences’, he added, saying that the safe-systems approach includes safe roads as well as safe vehicles, which must ply at safe speeds. "Safe speed is critical as we are humans and need time to react to a situation," Broberg said.

"There is a need to analyse gaps and plug them with proper data that will drive innovation and results," he added. In a nutshell, he reiterated, the use of a safe-systems approach, collaboration towards a common road safety vision, and a mindset that does not accept accidents to take away precious lives are the key measures in making road safety integral to any geography, including India.