01/06/2011 11:48
British drivers and fleet managers have been slow to adopt electronic safety technologies compared with their European counterparts, it has been revealed.
According to RoadSafe, although awareness of e-safety equipment has risen ten per cent in the last two years, the technology is still not being widely accepted.
Electronic stability control (ESC) is particularly vital and will become compulsory in all new cars from 2012.
Figures from eSafety Aware, ESC could save 4,000 lives and 100,000 injuries annually in Europe alone.
Adrian Walsh, director of the Driving for Better Business campaign and RoadSafe, stated: "Europe's car buyers are still not purchasing eSafety systems in sufficient numbers. Thousands more lives could be saved and injuries avoided if these systems were more widely used."
Mr Walsh added that business should try to ensure that their employees do not drive cars without electronic safety technologies such as ESC.
ESC uses computerised systems to detect and minimise skidding, applying brakes automatically when a driver loses control of steering.