Electronic stability control (ESC) is an evolution of antilock brake technology designed to help drivers maintain control of their vehicles in high-speed or sudden maneuvers and on slippery roads. Manufacturers first began equipping vehicles with ESC in the mid 1990s in Europe, and the technology appeared in other markets several years later. The wider proliferation of ESC across the vehicle fleet has allowed evaluation of its effects in real world crashes in many countries, including Japan, Germany, Sweden, France, Great Britain, and the United States. Studies have examined crash effects on different roadways, using differing analytic methods, different crash severities, and different make/model vehicles including both cars and SUVs. This paper provides a summary of those findings. Most studies find that ESC is highly effective in reducing single-vehicle crashes in cars and SUVs. Fatal single-vehicle crashes involving cars are reduced by about 30-50 percent and SUVs by 50-70 percent. Fatal rollover crashes are estimated to be about 70-90 percent lower with ESC regardless of vehicle type. A number of studies find improved effectiveness in reducing crashes when road conditions are slippery. There is little or no effect of ESC in all multi-vehicle crashes; however, there is a 17-38 percent reduction in more serious, fatal multi-vehicle crashes. Given the extraordinary benefits of ESC in preventing crashes, the implementation of ESC should be accelerated to include the full range of vehicles in both developed and developing markets. (A). For the covering abstract of the conference see E216632.
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