Road Safety

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

What is ESC?
Electronic Stability Control (ESC), a safety system found on an increasing number of vehicles, is designed to help reduce the risk of skidding and loss of control. However, ESC is not a substitute for safe behaviour on the road!

ESC helps you maintain control of your vehicle, in particular when you swerve or brake suddenly to avoid an obstacle or when the road is slippery.

ESC is most effective when a vehicle is equipped with tires that are suited to road conditions, properly inflated and in good working order.

How does ESC work?
The system uses sensors which measure several parameters (angle of the steering wheel, vehicle trajectory, etc.) in order to determine the risk of skidding.

As a vehicle starts to skid, the ESC system applies the brakes on one or more wheels and increases or reduces engine power to one or more wheels to keep the vehicle on its course and avoid loss of control.

How to get the system
ESC systems are available as standard or optional equipment on some new vehicle models. See your dealership for more information. Some recent used vehicles are also equipped with ESC. Please note, however, that these systems can only be installed on vehicles that were originally designed for their use by the manufacturer.

Some facts

• Around 48% of serious crashes are caused by loss of control.
• Around 23% of accidents causing injuries involve a single vehicle (automobile or light truck).
• ESC systems could help reduce these accidents by 20 to 40%.

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