As part of the department's mandate to promote the safety of Canadians and to promote awareness of important life-saving technology related to transportation, Transport Canada released 10 March some video footage that demonstrates the benefits of Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on dry, snow-covered and wet pavement.
The video has six scenarios that show a vehicle travelling towards the camera at approximately 80 kilometres/hour. A driving manoeuvre that represents a sudden lane change occurs during each scenario:
- The first sequence is of a passenger vehicle (sedan) travelling on dry pavement. ESC is not active; the driver loses control of the vehicle, and it skids 180 degrees.
- The second sequence shows the same vehicle, again travelling on dry pavement, but with ESC active. The vehicle moves slightly laterally, but the driver does not lose control of it.
- The third sequence is of a passenger vehicle (sedan) travelling on a snow-covered surface. ESC is not active; the driver loses control of the vehicle, and it ends up 'sliding' 180 degrees.
- The fourth sequence shows the same passenger vehicle, again travelling on snow, but with ESC active. The vehicle moves slightly laterally, but the driver does not lose control of it.
- The fifth sequence is of a passenger vehicle, equipped with outriggers, travelling on wet pavement (it is raining). ESC is not active; the driver loses control of the vehicle, and it skids 180 degrees.
- The last sequence is of the same passenger vehicle, again travelling on wet pavement (it is raining). ESC is active; the vehicle moves slightly laterally, but the driver does not lose control of it.
Preliminary analysis of 2000-2005 Canadian crash data indicates that vehicles equipped with ESC were involved in approximately 30 per cent fewer severe crashes due to loss of control than non-ESC equipped vehicles. Based on 2005 collision data alone, if all passenger vehicles were equipped with ESC, there would be at least 255 fewer deaths and 1,440 fewer people seriously injured on our roads each year.
Based on the impressive preliminary results of the ESC effectiveness analysis, Transport Canada is:
- Exploring various alternatives, including international best practices, to accelerate the availability of ESC on new passenger vehicles sold in Canada.
- Encouraging all manufacturers to provide ESC as a standard safety feature on all vehicles.
- Developing a proposal, which would require ESC on all new light vehicles sold in Canada.
- Encouraging Canadians to ask for ESC the next time they buy or import a vehicle.
The video is available here: http://ram.canadacast.ca/asxgen/transport/ESC_english.wmv |
