The European Union can cut thousands of road deaths and injuries with its new proposal to make anti-skid technology system Electronic Stability Control mandatory, according to the Choose ESC campaign chaired by the FIA Foundation.
Europe has fallen further behind the US in ESC installation rates during 2008, but with the EU’s proposed regulation on motor vehicle safety it is set to make up lost ground, the campaign’s latest figures show.
The proposal, issued on 23 May, calls for all new cars to have ESC installed from 2012. The move follows successful campaigning around Europe from Choose ESC. During the first phase, it will be mandatory for commercial vehicles and new car series to have ESC fitted as standard. All new models are to be equipped with ESC by 2014.
European Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry Günter Verheugen said: “We are improving road safety. We are presenting a modern integrated policy approach beneficial for citizens, for the environment and the industry.”
New industry data obtained by the FIA Foundation, based on sales of ESC globally, reveals that Europe has been lagging behind the US. In 2008, Europe has a 48% ESC installation rate compared to 53% in the US. Without an EU regulation, this would mean that the US would be at 94% by 2012 leaving Europe at 77%.
Campaign Chairman and FIA Foundation Director General David Ward said:
“This is very good news in Europe because we have fallen behind the US on use of Electronic Stability Control, which is the most important car safety device since the seatbelt.
“We have been campaigning for Electronic Stability Control to be made mandatory for some time now. Last year the US decided that it would be compulsory in 2012. It’s unacceptable that thousands of lives are lost as too many cars are still not fitted with this crucial life saving system. We’re very pleased that Europe can now join the US in pushing for the world wide adoption of this critical technology.”
The effectiveness of ESC is now well established by independent research in Europe, Japan, and the US. In the European Union it is estimated that ESC could avoid 4,000 deaths and 100,000 injuries.
The FIA Foundation led campaign has been calling for mandatory installation of ESC as part of the 'eSafetyAware!' public private partnership which promotes intelligent vehicle safety systems.
The EU follows the US is making ESC mandatory and more countries are set to join them soon. Canada is planning also to make ESC mandatory from 2012 and Australia has already taken the decision in one state. Globally, there is still much work to do to make ESC available in all cars as soon as possible and to inform the drivers that they should not choose a car which is not equipped with ESC.
Industry figures showing Europe behind the US in the absence of an ESC regulation are available here >