Crash Problem Definition and Safety Benefits Methodology for Stability Control for Single-Unit Medium and Heavy Trucks and Large-Platform Buses

2009PDFTech ReportDOT HS 811 099HS52/DG056HS52/EG056HS52/FG056Heavy duty trucksBusesWarning systemsVehicle safetyCrash avoidance systemsSingle-unitElectronic stability controlRoll stability controlESCRSCPre-crash scenariosvehicle Safety researchcrash avoidance researchcrash frequencyUnited StatesUnited States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationdaSilva, Marco PAyres, GregNajm, Wassim GJohn A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference CenterThis report presents the findings of a comprehensive engineering analysis of electronic stability control (ESC) and roll stability control (RSC) systems for single-unit medium and heavy trucks and large-platform buses. This report details the applicable crash population of these two vehicle types based on GES data and outlines a methodology to calculate safety benefits from the use of these systems. Based on 2000-2004 GES data, an average of 147,000 single-unit medium and heavy trucks are involved in police-reported crashes per year. This study estimated that ESC and RSC systems could have helped about 1.5 percent of those vehicles that are involved in crashes, which amounts to about 2,200 single-unit medium and heavy trucks per year. Based on 1996-2007 GES data, an average of 106,000 large-platform buses are involved in police-reported crashes per year. This study estimated that ESC and RSC systems could have helped about 1 percent of those vehicles that are involved in crashes, which amounts to about 1,000 large-platform buses per year. Although this report presents a methodology to estimate potential safety benefits from the use of ESC and RSC systems on these types of vehicles, no safety benefit estimates were calculated at this time since no ESC or RSC system effectiveness data exists for their use on single-unit trucks or buses.92