Why ESC?

By Submitted Article

Why am I promoting Electronic Stability Control?  I have no financial interest in ESC.  Yet I spent thousands of hours over the last two years trying to raise awareness.  Here is my story.

In October, 2005, my good friend Annie, a teacher from Smithers came to Prince George in search of a new car.  She was commuting daily to her job in Houston, sharing the road with giant transport trucks, and she was constantly afraid that she might lose control and die.  She said she needed four-wheel-drive (“4WD”) to stay in control.

I told her 4WD won’t help her stay on the road.  It might help her out of the ditch but it won’t improve cornering or braking.  I took her to my Volkswagen dealer and we took a new Golf out for a test drive. 

We went to Shelley Road which snakes through a farmer’s field.  The twisty road was covered in compact snow and ice.  Annie drove the car through the curves as speeds that were frightening.  I said, “Slow down, you’re going to put this car in the ditch, and I’m going to be embarrassed with the dealer.” 

She replied, “It’s no problem.  It’s handling fine.”  I took the wheel and found that Annie was right.  It hugged the road better than any car I had ever driven. 

We returned to the dealer and asked, “What’s with this car?”  The dealer explained how Electronic Stability Control helps the driver maintain control.  I got curious and started researching ESC and what I found was amazing. 

Studies worldwide show that ESC profoundly reduces crashes and save lives.  However, the public was unaware of ESC.  In early 2006, a survey by Transport Canada revealed that only one percent of Canadians named ESC as a safety device. 

Northerners know the dangers of moose on our highways.  ESC was invented because of moose.  ESC was conceived by Mercedes in 1959.  However, it stayed on the drawing board until 1995, when cars were being driven through a "Moose Test."  This means swerving around an imaginary animal on the road. 

During the Moose Test, a journalist jerked the steering wheel violently and rolled a Mercedes A-class car.  The same day, an East German economy car called the Trabant navigated the Moose Test without incident.

Reporters were amused, but Mercedes was not.  Mercedes recalled 130,000 cars and installed ESC for the first time in production cars.  Within three years, Mercedes enjoyed a 21% reduction in driver-related crashes and four years later, that figure reached 42%.  Other auto makers took notice and started installing ESC in high-end cars.  Then traffic experts around the world started to notice the amazing benefits of ESC.

It is tragic to lose young soldiers in Afghanistan.  To date, more than 70 young Canadians have died there.  Yet in that same time period, nearly 15,000 Canadians have died on our highways.  Many Canadians accept highway fatalities as the inevitable price of mobility.  I do not.  ESC could prevent up to 43% of road fatalities and thousands of debilitating injuries.

Graeme Johnstone, Chief Coroner of Victoria, Australia called on all car manufacturers and importers in Australia to make ESC standard, calling it "technology we must have."  I agree.  I bought a car with ESC. 

Last week, I took my car to an icy parking lot and tried to lose control.  Results were more impressive than I expected.  I phoned Ben Meisner and invited him for a test drive.  Watch this space; you’ll soon read about it.

I wrote several letters and sent research reports to the BC Coroners Service, asking them to make a public statement on the role ESC would play in reducing crashes here at home.  Last week I invited Shane DeMeyer, Regional Coroner to take my car for a “spin” in the parking lot. 

Mr. DeMeyer is well-informed about cars.  He hasn’t yet accepted my invitation, but he wrote, “Thanks Glen.  As we have discussed in the past, I do agree with you about the efficacy of ESC.”

Last Monday, a car lost control on Highway 16 near Cluculz Lake, spinning into a transport truck and killing a mother and four children.  I have now invited Mr. DeMeyer to drive my car at the accident scene.  I will let you know his response.

I now call again on the BC Coroners service to inform the public about the role ESC would play in reducing fatalities and making British Columbia highways safer for mothers and children such as those who died near Cluculz Lake.

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