Electronic Stability Control Coalition Releases Consumer Education Materials At Lifesavers 2004 Conference

University of Iowa Safety Study and Comprehensive Brochure Now Available to Consumers

DETROIT, March 29 -- The Electronic Stability Control Coalition today released new materials at the annual Lifesavers Conference aimed at continuing its efforts to educate consumers about the latest in automotive safety. For the first time, the public has free access to a recent research study, conducted by the University of Iowa, which found that 34 percent more drivers maintained control of their vehicles with ESC than without. Also available is the new brochure, "A Simple Guide to Safer Driving," created in consultation with the ESC Advisory Panel of medical professionals, educators, engineers, auto industry experts and former government safety officials. These materials offer critical safety information to drivers, including how ESC can help prevent car crashes and potentially save lives.

The study and brochure are the features of the ESC booth at the Lifesavers Conference being held March 28 - 30 in San Diego. They are part of the Coalition's national education campaign to increase awareness on the benefits of ESC systems and to help decrease the country's growing automotive fatalities rate. The materials, plus additional information on ESC, can be downloaded from the ESC website www.esceducation.org.

The effectiveness of ESC has been well documented by a body of independent research. The data from the University of Iowa, employing the National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS) owned by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), verifies previous observational studies-from the Swedish National Road Administration; Mercedes and DEKRA Automotive Research in Germany; the European Accident Causation; and Toyota in Japan-which had shown that ESC could help prevent 15 percent of all crashes and 30 to 35 percent of single-vehicle crashes.

  Highlights of the brochure include:

   -- A Message to Drivers - A call to action from Adele Derby, former
      Associate Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety
      Administration (NHTSA), this provides readers an introductory look at
      the auto safety issues and what they can do to help.

   -- Highway Safety: A Growing Health Problem - Offers the latest news and
      statistics on motor vehicle crashes, fatalities and their impact-from
      the point of view of Ram Nirula, MD, Trauma Surgeon and Assistant
      Professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

   -- How to Buy a Safer Car - Provides tips from Jack Nerad, host of the
      radio show Driving Today and author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to
      Buying or Leasing a Car," and from D. Keith Russell, Director of the
      Driving School of the Americas.

   -- How ESC Can Help - Highlights the fact that the best protection
      against car crashes is to avoid them altogether.  Provides the latest
      on the growing body of ESC research that confirms ESC is effective in
      preventing crashes.

"The ESC study and auto safety brochure are invaluable resources that can help all drivers-from even the most cautious and experienced to those who are new to the road, such as teenagers-avoid crashes and achieve a safer driving experience," said Betty Mercer, former Governor's Highway Safety Representative for the state of Michigan and current ESC Coalition Advisory Panel Member. "We encourage everyone to log-on to the website to download these materials that can have a big impact in the battle to help save lives on our nation's roadways."

What is ESC

ESC is an active safety equipment that helps drivers maintain control of their vehicle and prevent crashes before they occur. The system detects when a driver is about to lose control of a vehicle and automatically intervenes to provide stability and help the driver stay on course.

ESC is marketed under various trade names, which can be found at www.esceducation.org.

ESC Coalition Mission Statement

The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Coalition was formed in 2003 with the mission of educating consumers and other key audiences about the revolutionary active safety technology known as ESC. The ESC Coalition members believe that the widespread installation of ESC systems can play a significant role in helping to prevent crashes on America's roads. The Coalition seeks to increase the public's general awareness of this milestone in automotive safety. Through a national education campaign, the ESC Coalition aims to provide consumers with comprehensive information on ESC, including educational materials, technical data, video demonstrations, industry studies, and news about ESC.

For additional information on the ESC Coalition, please visit www.esceducation.org.