The New York Times, "Study Backs Systems to Aid Auto Stability"

A new study by the insurance industry says that the stability systems available in some cars and trucks can greatly reduce the likelihood of an accident. The technology, which applies brake pressure to help a driver maintain control of the vehicle, was found to reduce the chances of a fatal crash by 34 percent, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The technology also reduces, by 56 percent, the risk of a fatal single-vehicle crash in instances like a loss of control at high speed or in inclement weather or when a driver nods off. The group's report is the second major study of electronic stability control in the United States. Last month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a study that pointed to similarly significant benefits.

Vehicles with electronic stability control systems have a computer that collects data from sensors that monitor certain variables, like the rotation of the tires, how hard the driver is turning the steering wheel and brake pressure. The computer gauges if the driver is losing control of the vehicle and, if so, applies brake pressure to individual tires to restore order. In some cases, the computer reduces power from the engine. Electronic stability control systems, referred to in the industry as E.S.C., are seen as potentially the most help in sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks, because those vehicles are much more likely than passenger cars to roll over in single-vehicle accidents. Rollovers are particularly deadly and lead to more than 10,000 American deaths a year.