ACI Vallelunga Conference Highlights ESG Value of Safe Driving Training as FIA Awards SICK Italy Top FIA Road Safety Index Rating
With road fatalities continuing to represent one of the most important public safety challenges in Italy, causing an estimated €18 billion in social and economic losses annually, equivalent to 1% of the country’s GDP, FIA Member Club the Automobile Club d’Italia (ACI) Vallelunga hosted a high-level conference in Rome focusing on “Safe Driving Courses: Valuable ESG Investments”.

The event, organised in collaboration with Luiss Business School, ACI Vallelunga, and Sara Assicurazioni at the historic Villa Blanc campus in Rome, focused on the key importance of advanced driver training to improve fleet safety and ESG performance.
Opening remarks were delivered by Professor Raffaele Oriani, Dean of Luiss Business School. Alfredo Scala, Director of ACI Vallelunga, then outlined how the Club’s courses are structured and emphasised the importance of building a network of Safe Driving Centres across Italy.
"For years, ACI Vallelunga has been committed to promoting road safety through training and a culture of responsible driving. Safe driving courses help save lives, reduce costs for companies, and generate value for the community. This conference represents an important step towards consolidating the role of education in responsible driving as a strategic lever for the country," he said.
Roberto Landi, Director of Sara Assicurazioni also took the stage to highlight the advantages of investing in road safety and safe driving training — from risk mitigation to insurance system benefits.
The conference then featured a roundtable moderated by Professor Gaetano Casertano of Luiss Business School. Karl Martin Studener, Managing Director of ÖAMTC Driving Technology Austria, another FIA Member Club, presented Austria’s experience with mandatory safe driving courses — introduced in 2003 — which have now reached around 800,000 participants. Comparing the 2000–2002 and 2021–2023 periods, Austria recorded a 37.2% drop in serious or fatal crashes, and an even more striking 57.7% decrease among young drivers aged 17–24.
Marcello Fiori, General Manager of INAIL, the Italian labour agency responsible for the health and occupational safety conditions of workers, reinforced the importance of investing in training to improve workplace road safety outcomes.
This broader discussion on the value of training set the stage for a deeper look at how organisations can embed their commitment to road safety into their operations.
Luca Pascotto, FIA Head of Road Safety, introduced the FIA Road Safety Index supported by the FIA Foundation, describing how the Index works as a comprehensive methodology enabling organisations and companies to measure report and improve their road safety footprint.
His presentation was followed by another highlight of the event, with the announcement that SICK Italy, one of the world’s leading solutions providers for sensor-based applications in the industrial sector, had received the highest 3-star rating from the FIA Road Safety Index. The recognition showcased how companies can take meaningful action to improve road safety while supporting broader ESG goals.
"It is a great privilege for us to be recognised by the FIA for implementing the FIA Road Safety Index. This important achievement reflects not only our commitment to the safety and well-being of our employees, but also our broader ambition as a region to embrace ESG values with concrete and measurable actions. This rating is not an endpoint, but a beginning. It marks the start of a journey we are proud to undertake as a region: a shared path toward safer roads, greater responsibility, and a sustainable future. Thank you to the FIA for this recognition. We look forward to continuing this journey with energy, purpose, and integrity,” said Massimo Azzerri, Senior Vice President Sales & Service | Europe South & West
“The conference in Rome once again demonstrated how the combined effect of FIA’s global advocacy programmes and the locally implemented road safety initiatives by FIA Member Clubs creates a robust system that helps organisations build a culture of safe mobility. The FIA Road Safety Index offers a framework for reviewing policies, while advanced driving training courses at centres of excellence like those of ACI and ÖAMTC provide practical solutions for companies seeking to reduce costs and maintain control over road safety,” said Willem Groenewald, FIA Secretary General for Automobile Mobility.