Media statement | 14 November 2007

Crash rates slashed by ESC safety technology

Cars equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) systems have single-vehicle crash rates 25 percent lower than those without the technology in Australia and New Zealand, according to a Monash University Accident Research Centre study released today.

The study also found a dramatic 51 percent reduction in single-vehicle crash rates for ESC-equipped 4WDs on Australian and New Zealand roads. Even bigger reductions were estimated for single vehicle crashes involving a driver injury – 27 percent for cars and 68 percent for 4WDs.

Commissioned by a group of 13 Australian and New Zealand transport agencies and motoring clubs, including Land Transport NZ and the New Zealand Automobile Association, the Monash study is the first to investigate the real world performance of ESC in reducing crash risk in Australasia. The study analysed crash patterns of nearly 7,700 ESC-equipped vehicles manufactured from 1997 to 2005 and involved in crashes across Australia and New Zealand from 2001 to 2005. These were compared with the crash patterns of 203,000 vehicles without ESC manufactured and involved in crashes over the same time periods.

While the availability of ESC in New Zealand has increased significantly in recent years, with a current fitment rate of over 60 percent for new vehicles sold here (compared to 40 percent in Australia), Land Transport NZ Chief Executive Wayne Donnelly said accelerating the uptake of ESC was a priority for New Zealand. 

“This study confirms that ESC is a highly effective tool for reducing crashes, deaths and injuries on our roads. The potential benefits of increasing the uptake of this technology in New Zealand are particularly significant, as single vehicle crashes account for nearly 30 percent of all crashes involving light passenger vehicles here, compared to 15 percent in Australia.”

AA Technical Services General Manager Stella Stocks said people purchasing cars for company or rental fleets should favour ESC-fitted vehicles.

“Hyundai’s recent announcement to make ESC a compulsory safety feature throughout its range of cars was a positive step towards making the New Zealand car fleet safer.  The AA encourages all other mainstream car manufacturers to make ESC a compulsory safety feature within two years.”

Land Transport NZ and ACC are also working with the AA, Police and the Ministry of Transport to promote the benefits of ESC and other safety technology as part of a series of road shows targeting corporate fleet managers around the country later this month.

ACC Chief Executive Jan White said the decisions made by fleet buyers were especially important as over half of all new vehicles in New Zealand are purchased as company vehicles.

“In many cases today’s company car is tomorrow’s family car – improving the standards of corporate fleet vehicles now will make our roads safer for years to come.”

Copies of the Monash ESC study can be downloaded from www.landtransport.govt.nz/research/vehicles/esc.html.

For more information
Andy Knackstedt
Media Manager
Land Transport New Zealand
Ph: 04 931 8829  or  0212 763 222

Stella Stocks
Technical Services General Manager
New Zealand Automobile Association
09 966 8908  or  021 772 242

Last updated: 21 November 2007