Car System Could Save 7,000 Lives a Year

Wall Street Journal ^ | October 28, 2004 | KAREN LUNDEGAARD

[OESY]

A new study found that if all vehicles were equipped with stability control, an electronic safety technology that the industry has been slow to adopt, some 7,000 lives a year could be saved.

Stability control, which has sensors that determine when a driver is about to lose control of the vehicle and try to correct that course, reduced the risk of being in a fatal single-vehicle crash by 56%, according to the study to be released today by the Arlington, Va.-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. That group is the research arm of the insurance industry.

It is the second study released during recent weeks highlighting the effectiveness of stability control in preventing real-world crashes. A government study that came out last month found the technology reduced single-vehicle fatalities by 63% in sport-utility vehicles. SUV single-vehicle crashes fell 67%, while car crashes dropped 35%.

Jeffrey Runge, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said in an interview in September that if research continued to show such strong results, he would consider mandating stability control. He compared it with seat belts, which have had a dramatic effect in reducing deaths in all types of vehicle crashes.

Single-vehicle crashes account for more than half of the 28,000 fatal crashes every year; about two-thirds of single-vehicle crashes are rollovers.

Stability control is part of a broader effort by car makers to put more emphasis on preventing crashes from happening rather than focusing exclusively on technologies that minimize injuries in the event of a crash.

Despite the tangible safety benefits, many vehicles, even tippy light trucks, still don't offer stability control....

RELATED ARTICLE: Accident Avoided -- At Least for Now

[OESY]

A BMW 3 series tailgates a VW Golf bumper
in a test of new safety technology.

WHERE TO GET IT

Models that come with electronic stability control as a standard feature.

ACURA -- TL, RL, MDX, TSX
AUDI -- All models
BMW -- All models
CADILLAC -- All models except CTS, DeVille
CHEVROLET -- Corvette
CHRYSLER -- Crossfire
FORD -- Explorer
HONDA -- CR-V, Odyssey
HYUNDAI -- Tucson
INFINITI -- All models
JAGUAR -- All models
LAND ROVER -- LR3, Range Rover
LEXUS -- All models except ES 330, IS 300
LINCOLN -- Aviator, Navigator
MERCEDES -- All models
MERCURY -- Mountaineer
MITSUBISHI -- Montero
NISSAN -- Pathfinder, Armada
PORSCHE -- All models
SAAB -- 9-3, 9-5, 9-7X
SCION -- xB
TOYOTA -- 4Runner, Highlander, Land Cruiser, Sequoia
VOLVO -- XC90
Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

[coder2]

Dumb question...

Is this the same as stabilitrak ?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Anti-Lock brakes (ABS) were supposed to make drivers safer, too, but they didn't because the sense of security drivers get from ABS makes them drive faster.

[mvpel]

Airbags were supposed to make us safer, but now we have children getting their brains smashed to paste by airbags during a fender-bender.

The joys of central planning and government mandates, eh?

[marty60]

Or airbags. Then just wait till it malfunctions and sends a nice fam into an 18 wheeler.

[OrioleFan]

I can see another $100,000,000. for John Edwards in this...

[Shryke]

You know, I've had a solution to safe driving in my head for many years now. It will also drastically reduce DUIs and DWIs. Hell, everyone will drive safely. My solution:

1. Remove all driver's side seatbelts and airbags.

2. Weld an 8 inch steel spike to the center of the steering wheel.

Input?

[catpuppy]

Jeffrey Runge, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said in an interview in September that if research continued to show such strong results, he would consider mandating stability control

Oh that's just great. Another "mandated" safety feature that sends car costs up, fails to provide the promised safety and quite possibly causes deaths in ways not anticipated. Airbags--mandated to make seatbelt use unnecessary (it wasn't) and to make children safer (they aren't) did achieve spectacular success in one area: raising the price of automobiles across the spectrum.

[bobsatwork]

....2. Weld an 8 inch steel spike to the center of the steering wheel......Well, it won't stop a drunk, but it will cut down on repeat offenders.

[rabidralph]

Why bother to drive anymore? Smart highways, black box-capable cars? Just put me in a stroller and wheel me to work.

[Shryke]

Sure it will. Even if I was five sheets to the wind, I wouldn't get behind the steering wheel of a car with a guaranteed impaling looking at me if I wrecked.

[gortklattu]

Yep, this is news for liberal lawyers.

[snooker]

And the cost will be ---

Staying home is cheaper than any vehicle and walking will save you lot's on transportation.

How long did it take for disk brakes to become cheap enough for mass market automobiles.

[Mad Mammoth]

Hey, that's another extra 7000 votes for 'Rat candidates to be distributed as the DNC needs 'em!

By the way, LOVE that signature! :)

[Popman]

A government study that came out last month found the technology reduced single-vehicle fatalities by 63% in sport-utility vehicles. SUV single-vehicle crashes fell 67%, while car crashes dropped 35%.

If you look at the list of vehicles that have electronic stability control as a standard feature, most are SUV's.

So these numbers will not be dramatically affected by adding on this additional cost.

I think these numbers are inflated to scare people.

It's still a good idea to have, but why get more government control?

[avg_freeper]

A device that prevents you from driving over 3 miles an hour would save even more lives.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I have a feeling the world would be a safer place if YOU did that.

[Shryke]

Nonsense. I ride a unicycle.

[dsmatuska]

Why don't they just make cars out of NERF material?

[steveegg]

Is this the same as stabilitrak ?

Yep (BTW, that is not a stupid question).