Electronic Stability Control Systems, 2006 Study

source:  A 2006 USA Study http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/DOT/NHTSA/Rulemaking/Rules/Associated%20Files/ESC_PRIA.pdf

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
This Preliminary Regulatory Impact Analysis examines the impact of the proposal to establish Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 126, Electronic Stability Control Systems (ESC). ESC has been found to be highly effective in preventing single-vehicle loss-of-control, run-off-the road crashes, of which a significant portion are rollover crashes. ESC has also been found to reduce some multi-vehicle crashes. Based on this analysis, the proposal is highly cost effective.

Proposed Requirements 

The proposal would require passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles (MPVs), trucks, and buses that have a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 4,536 kg (10,000 pounds) or less to be equipped with an ESC system. We assume throughout this analysis that an ESC system combines two basic technologies: Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) and Electronic Stability Control. The proposal would require an ESC system to meet a definition, as well as meet the functional and performance requirements specified in FMVSS No. 126.

Benefits

page 5 - Benefits

Based upon our analysis, we estimate that the proposal would save 1,536 – 2,211 lives and reduce 50,594 – 69,630 MAIS 1-5 injuries annually once all passenger vehicles have ESC.



Global Studies of ESC Effectiveness - page III-17
Several studies from Europe and Japan concluded that ESC is highly effective in preventing crashes. In the U.S., the IIHS’s 2004 study also confirmed that ESC is effective. The following summarizes some results from these global studies:
• Germany: ESC would prevent 80 percent of skidding crashes (Volkswagen and Audi
ESP) and 35 percent of all vehicle fatalities (Rieger et al, 2005).13
• Sweden: ESC would prevent 16.7 percent of all injury crashes excluding rear-end and
21.6 percent of serious and fatal crashes (Lie et al, 2005).14
• Japan: ESC would prevent 35 percent of single-vehicle crashes and 50 percent of fatal
single-vehicle crashes. In addition, ESC would prevent 30 percent of head-on crashes
and 40 percent of fatal head-on crashes (Aga, 2003).15
• U.S., IIHS: ESC would prevent 41 percent of the single vehicle crashes and 56 percent of
the fatal single vehicle crashes (Farmer, 2004).16 The study also found a small but not
statistically significant reduction in multi-vehicle crashes.
• U.S., University of Michigan: ESC would reduce the odds of fatal single-SUV crashes by
50 percent and fatal single-PC crashes by 30 percent. Corresponding reductions for non-fatal single-vehicle crashes are 70 percent for SUVs and 55 percent for PCs (UMTRI, 2006).17

Note that the summary serves only as a reference in assessing ESC global effects. It is not meant
to be comprehensive. Interested parties can consult Bosch’s 2005 review18 (Bosch, 2005, 10 Years of ESP® from Bosch: More Driving Safety with the Electronic Stability Program, http://www.bosch-presse.de/TBWebDB/en-US/index.cfm, February 2005.) for a more complete list of studies on ESC effectiveness.