Rollover Risk
Electronic stability control is being dubbed by some as the best safety advance since the seat belt. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is expected to announce Thursday that it wants the technology to be made mandatory for new vehicles by 2010.
How can I find out which vehicles have technologies like electronic stability control?
You can select a vehicle on the 5-Star Crash Test and Rollover Ratings section of safercar.gov and view its safety features chart, or you can order a Buying a Safer Car brochure by calling 888-327-4236.
How do the sensors work?
Sensors monitor the speed of the tires, the position of the steering wheel and the motion of the car. If the vehicle begins to skid, the system applies breaks to bring it back in line — in most cases, without the driver even knowing. It's estimated the system can cut fatal accidents by one-third and reduce the risk of rollovers by up to 80 percent. Stability control is currently available in about 40 percent of new cars and another 15 percent have it as option. Ford and GM have already announced plans to install the systems in all their vehicles.
Are SUVs the only cars that roll over?
No, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A rollover crash can happen in any type of vehicle. SUVs, like pickup trucks and minivans, typically ride higher off the ground than passenger cars and have higher centers of gravity, and thus are more susceptible to roll over if involved in a single-vehicle crash.See the vehicle class comparison chart.
Even a five-star vehicle has up to a 10% risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash. In fact, certain five-star vehicles, such as sports cars, may have a higher number of rollovers per 100 registered vehicles than certain three-star vehicles, such as minivans, due to the aggressive way in which the vehicle is driven and/or the age and skill of the driver.
For Information On Electronic Stability Control:
• How does your car rate? Click here for rollover ratings for model year 2006 vehicles. Comparative results can be viewed by class (SUVs, Pickups, Vans or Passenger Cars).