Submitted by Cedric Hughes on Thu, 04/10/2008 - 14:47
In “Traffic Safety” (Michigan: Science Serving Society, 2004) Leonard Evans contends, “the most important element in…safety…is driver behaviour.” He argues that, in America, the intense focus on automotive engineering initiated in the late 60s and early 70s (especially) by Ralph Nader convinced “the US media, government, and public that deaths in traffic were mainly due to unsafe and defective vehicles” and ultimately “contributed to the precipitous decline in US traffic safety in terms of deaths per registered vehicle…from first place [in 1978] to sixteenth place [in 2002].”
Bearing Mr. Evans’ contention very much in mind, a recent announcement from Transport Canada that it is working on regulations requiring all new vehicles to have electronic stability control (ESC) within three years is noteworthy nevertheless. ESC is a relatively new safety feature developed from the application of new technologies that helps to minimize or avoid the effects of loss of control from excessive speed, unskillful overreaction or a sudden avoidance maneuver. ESC is an impressive engineering response to imperfect driver behaviour.
Every driver at some point in their driving career contemplates or experiences driving the speed limit, paying attention on a clear dry road with good visibility when a sudden, unforeseeable obstacle initiates an instinctive avoidance response. The laws of physics can result in swerving, skidding and possibly a rollover.
ESC is automatically “ON” but can be manually disabled. One developer’s website—www.conti-online.com— describes its operation as follows: “ESC…recognizes unstable driving conditions at the very outset and applies automatic, corrective action. Utilizing the active build-up of direction-stabilizing brake forces, ESC helps the driver overcome critical situations and keep his vehicle safely under control. …ESC is the sum of the functions:
- ABS Anti-lock Brake System
- EBD Electronic Brake force Distribution
- TCS Traction Control System
- AYC Active Yaw Control
ESC continuously evaluates the measured data from numerous sensors and compares the driver's input with the actual behavior of the vehicle. If an unstable condition develops—such as a sudden evasive maneuver—within a fraction of a second, ESC intervenes via engine electronics and the brake system to help stabilize the vehicle.”
There are many online descriptions of ESC and many video clips showing its effect in a variety of road conditions and driving scenarios. Links to these sites are included on the Transport Canada site— www.tc.gc.ca (menu options: road safety–hot topics—electronic stability control).
Crashes from loss of control are very common. Transport Canada cites 2005 collision data indicating “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.” Given these impressive preliminary results, Transport Canada’s stated intentions are to:
- explore various alternatives, including international best practices, to accelerate the availability of ESC on new passenger vehicles sold in Canada.
- encourage all manufacturers to provide ESC as a standard safety feature on all vehicles.
- develop a proposal, which would require ESC on all new light vehicles sold in Canada.
- encourage Canadians to ask for ESC the next time they buy or import a vehicle.
Bookmark/Search this post with:
