The secret of electronic stability control (ESC)

Electronic Stability Control (ESC), an on-board crash avoidance system for motor vehicles, is designed to help drivers maintain control during emergency manoeuvres, such as swerving to avoid an obstacle. International studies have estimated that ESC could reduce the number of fatal crashes by at least 20 per cent to 40 per cent. The purpose of this study was to measure people's attitudes, awareness and understanding of ESC. TNS Canadian Facts conducted a random telephone survey for Transport Canada in February 2006. Respondents were asked for their general views about vehicle safety, ESC, driving experience and vehicle ownership. Responses were obtained from a representative sample of 1,068 Canadian drivers. Results indicated that awareness of ESC was low. When prompted to identify vehicle safety features, only 1 per cent of the people surveyed mentioned ESC, or a branded equivalent. Sixty percent of drivers had never heard of ESC, and less than 5 per cent had vehicles with ESC. This paper discusses the reasons for this low rate of awareness and the implications this has for road safety. It also recommends strategies for promoting awareness and demand for ESC, and accelerating the availability of ESC.