No. H 039/09
For release - March 13, 2009
OTTAWA — A new safety regulation is being proposed, requiring that Electronic Stability Control (ESC) be installed as standard equipment on all light-duty vehicles for sale in Canada, beginning September 1, 2011.
"Our government recognizes that Electronic Stability Control technology saves lives," said Canada's Transport Minister, John Baird. "This safety feature is already available on many new models, and it goes hand in hand with increasing the safety of Canadians and improving the quality of life for drivers and their passengers."
ESC is a technology primarily designed to assist drivers in maintaining control of their vehicle in situations such as emergency manoeuvres (swerving or braking to avoid an obstacle) and cornering on slippery surfaces.
Data gathered by Transport Canada indicates that vehicles equipped with ESC were involved in approximately 30 per cent fewer severe collisions involving loss of control than non-ESC equipped vehicles. Based on 2006 collision data, if all passenger vehicles were equipped with ESC, there would be at least 225 fewer deaths and 755 fewer people seriously injured on our roads each year.
The proposed regulation will be published in the Canada Gazette, Part I on March 14, 2009. A 75-day response period follows, when interested parties may provide their comments to Transport Canada.
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