ESC Focus in New Car Crash Tests

6 November 2008

RoadSafe welcomes the recently announced changes to European New Car Assessment Programme crash tests that put the focus on life-saving Electronic Stability Control (ESC).

Research by the Department for Transport has shown that vehicles equipped with ESC are 25% less likely to be involved in a fatal crash than those without it. That equates to 380 fewer fatal crashes on UK roads and the reduction of injuries to 7,800 people a year.

EuroNCAP announced the radical overhaul of its crash test programme this week. From February 2009 it means that ESC must be standard equipment on new models for them to achieve a top five-star safety rating.

Over the past year our focus has been to encourage fleets to choose ESC -

“Investment in safety starts with employees driving ‘safe’ cars and there is no doubt that models equipped with ESC are safer than those without. It therefore makes sense for companies to base their fleet choice lists around cars that are equipped with ESC.”

Currently just over 50% of the new cars on sale in the UK are equipped with ESC as standard. Changes to the Euro NCAP crash test programme are designed to increase that figure to 100% as soon as possible.

RoadSafe supports the ChooseESC! – the technology has proved highly effective in preventing skidding, and has been hailed the greatest road safety innovation since the seatbelt.