Publication

SAFER Vehicle and Traffic Safety Centre at Chalmers has conducted a pre-study to explore the need, opportunities, and conditions for organizing a national traffic safety conference in Sweden. The project background stems from a potential need for a renewed platform where traffic safety stakeholders can meet and collaborate to reduce traffic-related injuries and deaths. Previous events, such as the Tylösand Seminar and the Swedish Transport Administration’s Results Conference, no longer serve this function to the same extent, as they are now held digitally, leaving a gap in the industry.

The purpose of the conference would be to promote knowledge sharing, collaboration, and networking. It could bring together authorities, researchers, companies, and non-profit organizations to discuss traffic safety policy, innovation, and practical solutions. It would also serve as a platform for education and training in the field.

In this study, we used surveys and in-depth interviews to collect data on needs and interest. A total of 111 people responded to the survey, and 9 individuals from 6 different organisations were interviewed. The results show a strong interest in such a conference, with the majority expressing high or very high interest in attending. Many are also willing to help with the planning.

The budget, developed in collaboration with Malmö Congress Center, is based on 250 paying participants and 50 attending for free. The participation fee would need to be between 3,000 and 6,000 SEK per person to cover the conference costs, but additional funding would likely be needed to cover the costs of an organizing committee and program office. Several potential conference venues have been identified, including Skövde, Jönköping, and Gothenburg.

The pre-study confirms that there is a clear need and strong interest in organising a national traffic safety conference in Sweden. Such a conference would serve an important role as a platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and policy development. However, further work is needed to secure funding, recruit an organizing committee, and finalize a concrete plan. The positive feedback from survey and interview participants suggests that there is a good foundation for creating a successful and sustainable event.