Volvo Trucks Australia has released video footage from inside the cab of a truck involved in a high impact collision, with the aim of reminding all drivers of the importance of putting their safety first.

Taken from inside the cab of a Volvo FH16 truck traveling at 85 kilometres per hour, it shows the moment of impact in the remote Australian outback during the dark of night.

The truck is hit by the fourth trailer from an oncoming road train, which had come loose and begun to sway across the median strip of the highway.

Despite the severity of the impact, the driver walked away from the collision unharmed.

Safety is in Volvo‘s DNA and is first and foremost in the design and testing for every model of Volvo truck. The Volvo FH16 undergoes the most rigorous cab crash safety tests in the world – the Swedish Cab Test. The FH also has a number of other safety features, including the seat belt, seat belt pre-tensioner, Volvo cabin crumple zones, energy-absorbing design and driver‘s airbag.

“The value of this video is that it shows how quickly an everyday drive can turn into an accident, through no fault of the driver,” said vice president of Volvo Trucks Australia, Tony O‘Connell.

“Safety is at the heart of everything Volvo does and a number of design features combined to ensure the driver was protected and walked away without suffering injury or worse.

“The critical life-saving safety feature in this collision was the three-point seat belt, without which the outcome for the driver would likely have been quite different.”

By wearing his seat belt, the driver of the Volvo truck was kept in position while all of the vehicle‘s other safety features engaged around him.

“Too many non-belted truck drivers lose their lives needlessly,” said O‘Connell. “Our research shows that 50% of non-belted truck occupants killed in accidents would have survived if their seat belts had been properly used.

“We urge all road users – truck and car drivers and passengers of coaches fitted with seat belts – to please use them. Put your safety first, put on your seat belt.”

The three-point seat belt was invented and patented by Volvo in 1959. The patent was left open, so other automobile manufacturers could adopt this life saving passive safety feature.

You can watch the video here: https://www.volvotrucks.com.au/en-au/trucks/volvo-fh16/safety/FH16-safety.html?utm_source=press-release

Please note, the video footage is real, and may be graphic for some viewers.