Evonik wants everyone to be safe on the road

• A first for Evonik Antwerp: VoW truck offers workshops for companies
• Avoid blind spot accidents: workshops for Evonik employees and local residents
• Road safety as a shared responsibility

Antwerp, 21 September 2021. Evonik, the specialty chemicals company in the port of Antwerp, is the first to enter into a partnership with Transport and Logistics Flanders (TLV), the independent organisation that wants to improve the image of the transport and logistics sector, focusing on the aspect of road safety. The 'Veilig op Weg' or ‘VoW’ (Safe on the Road) campaign is an existing initiative of this organisation aimed at making young children aware of the dangers of the blind spot. Evonik Antwerp, together with its traffic partner EduCare, wants to broaden the audience for this campaign to the business world. With the VoW campaign, Evonik is even serving a dual purpose: the company wants to raise awareness of blind spot accidents among both its own employees and the local residents of the surrounding municipalities.

Blind spot - statistics

Every year, an average of 50 blind spot accidents happen to trucks and vulnerable road users. Half of these accidents are very serious and in all cases the vulnerable road user is the victim, the vast majority of the victims being cyclists.

According to Evonik Antwerp, with an ever-increasing number of cycling employees, the accident risk in commuter traffic cannot be ignored. The company is therefore launching an information campaign 'Safe on the Road' for its own employees. In this context, the VoW truck is coming to the site on 27 September and 18 October for a day of workshops. About 20 people can take part in each workshop. Through theory and practice, VoW employees will offer an insight into what the truck driver can and cannot see and will pass on four important rules of thumb. Testimonies of victims and relatives complete the information.

Ivan Pelgrims, Managing Director Evonik Antwerp: "A safe commute for our employees is very important to us. The trend towards more individual mobility, and therefore more and more employees on bicycles, shifts our focus to the vulnerable road users. We also want to make VoW's goal of reducing the number of blind spot accidents our mission. More than 25% (or about 250) of our employees frequently take their bicycles and travel here via the port and surrounding municipalities. So paying attention to the risk of blind spot accidents is really a matter for everyone. Road safety should be a shared responsibility. That is why we at Evonik Antwerp are proud to be the first company to work with EduCare and VoW to offer these traffic workshops to both our own employees and residents of the surrounding municipalities.”

Safe on the Road in neighbouring communities Stabroek and Berendrecht

On 26 September, the VoW truck will be on the “Dorpsdag” (Village Day) in Stabroek. Sarah Demartelaere, alderman for mobility in Stabroek, is delighted with the collaboration: "This day is all about the completed infrastructure works in the centre of Stabroek. Safe and smooth traffic flow not only depends on the infrastructure. Raising awareness about the risk of blind spot accidents is therefore a must.

Sandra Suykerbuyk, alderman for mobility in Berendrecht-Zandvliet-Lillo, also welcomes this initiative by Evonik Antwerp: "Many of our residents work in and around the Antwerp port and bicycle traffic is increasing rapidly. The vulnerable road user, and by extension everyone who travels in traffic, cannot be well enough informed about the risks. We welcome the VoW truck with open arms to our municipality on 17 October." At www.evonik.be/nl/vow you will find more information about Evonik's collaboration with the municipality of Stabroek. For the BerendrechtZandvliet-Lillo district, go to www.evonik.be/nl/vowbezali.

Invitation to the press

Would you like to know more about the VoW campaign at Evonik Antwerp? Or are you interested in registering for a workshop at Evonik on Monday 27 September or 18 October? You can find all the information on www.evonik.be/nl/vow or send an e-mail to Danny Erreweyaert (danny.erreweyaert@evonik.com)