Safety is a core value at Volvo Trucks. Learn more about what other Volvo Truck customers say about the safety in every Volvo Truck.
“THE IMPACT WAS SO SEVERE THE CAB HAD TO BE SEVERED FROM THE CHASSIS. BUT OUR DRIVER WALKED AWAY UNHARMED.”
Charles Morgan, Director of Logistics, Franklin Logistics
Franklin Logistics believes a comfortable driver is a safer driver. That was one of the reasons they switched to Volvo trucks two years ago. That decision may have saved the life of one of their drivers.
“We are a very safety-conscious fleet, and made the switch to Volvo trucks in 2004 because of Volvo’s reputation for safety and driver comfort. Earlier this year, those safety features helped one of our drivers walk away unscathed from a very serious accident.
On February 26, 2006, we had three Volvo 670s traveling together down I-55 loaded with furniture headed for Texas. The driver of the middle unit suddenly became ill, reached for her water bottle, then blacked out. Traveling in the left lane at approximately 65 mph, the truck veered left into the median and crashed into a heavy stand of pine trees. The next thing our driver remembers is waking, opening the driver’s-side door and exiting the vehicle. Aside from minor cuts and bruising, she was unharmed.
The impact was so severe it demolished the truck’s hood and radiator, crushed the right side of the unit and tore off the high-rise roof. The only axle left under the chassis was the tandem. In fact, the towing company had to cut the cab from the chassis to remove the wreckage from the trees. But all the Volvo safety features performed as designed and maintained the integrity of the driver compartment. The engine dropped down and under the cab upon impact, the steering column broke away and the air bag deployed. I am convinced that had our driver been in any other brand of truck, she would not have walked away from this incident without severe injury.
When you buy a truck, you are told a lot of things about what it can do. But until you experience an incident such as this, you take those things with a grain of salt. This event convinced us that Volvo absolutely makes the safest trucks on the market, and that fact will certainly influence our future purchase decisions.”
‘THIS COLLISION BETWEEN TRUCK AND TRAIN SOLIDIFIED OUR DEDICATION TO VOLVO TRUCKS.”
Tommy Johnson, Safety Director Big M Transportation/Diesel Express
A tractor-trailer crossing paths with a freight train is a chilling thought. A driver surviving such an incident completely unharmed is what legends (and Volvo trucks) are made of.
“On January 11, 2010 one of our Volvo VN 780s pulling a load of rolled paper was approaching the Alabama State Docks in Mobile. Train tracks crisscross much of the port area, and not all of the crossings are equipped with warning signals or crossing arms.
“At approximately 10:00 a.m. our driver, a seasoned veteran of the road, approached a crossing with neither signals nor crossing arms – only a guard shack to his right. The glare of the bright sun impaired his view down the track. As he proceeded to slowly cross the track he was struck on the right side of the cab by an oncoming train travelling at approximately 20 mph. The impact spun the tractor-trailer sideways, dragging it 200 feet down the track. The tractor then impacted a loading dock, which tore it loose from the train. With the truck now stopped, the driver crawled out the drivers-side window onto the loading dock completely unharmed – not even a scratch.
“The damage to the cab was so severe you could barely tell it was a Volvo. It looked more like a cab-over. However, the motor had dropped under the tractor and the steering wheel pushed up and away from our driver just as it was designed to do, not only saving his life, but keeping him injury free.
“I always thought Volvo trucks were the safest trucks on the road because of the way they are designed, and safety is one of the major reasons we purchase them for our fleet. This incident just solidifies our dedication to Volvo trucks.”
