The safety of European registered trucks and tourist coaches will be greatly improved as a result of an agreement reached at a United Nations meeting in Geneva to equip new vehicles with electronic stability control systems. Electronic stability control (ESC) avoids accidents by helping the driver maintain control of the vehicle in critical situations.
European Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen, responsible for enterprise and industry policy, stated: "This development is very welcome. These advanced systems have a huge life-saving potential, particularly for large goods and passenger vehicles where the consequences of an accident can be devastating."
The agreement, made at a United Nations meeting in Geneva, allows the EU to make ESC a mandatory requirement for all new vehicles. The requirements will be phased in over a number of years, with priority given to the vehicles where the potential benefit is greatest, such as heavy truck/trailer combinations and touring coaches.
ESC systems act on the braking or power systems of a vehicle to assist the driver to maintain control of the vehicle in a critical situation (caused, for example, by poor road conditions or excessive speed during cornering). They usually act by sensing wheel slip in individual wheels and reducing power or applying braking to one or more wheels to regain stability. As well as preventing casualties, the widespread use of ESC in vehicles could significantly reduce the traffic congestion caused by accidents involving large vehicles.
It is estimated that equipping these vehicles with ESC system could ultimately save over 500 deaths and 2500 serious injuries per year in the European Union. (Hina)