News

Company cars and vans are a familiar part of everyday traffic, yet their role in road safety has received surprisingly little attention. A new partner project within SAFER's portfolio aims to change that.

The partner project, SAFECAR (Accident Frequency in Work-Related Driving and its Economic Consequences), will investigate why work-related driving with passenger cars and light vans appears to carry a higher crash risk than private car use, and what these crashes cost society.

Although vehicles used for work account for less than a third of total vehicle kilometres travelled, they are involved in nearly half of all fatal road crashes. Understanding why this imbalance exists is a key objective of the project.

Led by VTI and funded by the Swedish Transport Administration, SAFECAR combines crash risk analysis with assessments of societal costs, including fatalities, injuries and healthcare impacts. The ambition is to provide a stronger evidence base for future road safety measures targeting work-related transport.

Beyond the research itself, the project creates opportunities for knowledge exchange across SAFER's network. Through an associated reference group, researchers, authorities and industry representatives can contribute perspectives and discuss emerging findings throughout the project.

The project aligns closely with SAFER's mission of bringing people together, conducting research and leveraging knowledge to enable safe and sustainable mobility. Its findings are expected to support decision-makers in developing more targeted measures that reduce both crashes and their consequences.

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Project facts

• Project: SAFECAR (Accident Frequency in Work-related Driving and its Economic Consequences)
• Purpose: To investigate accident risks in work-related driving and estimate the societal costs of crashes involving light vehicles used for work.
• Duration: 2025–2028
• Funding: Swedish Transport Administration
• Partner: VTI
• Budget: SEK 2.79 million
• Contact: Henrik Sjöstrand, VTI