ABS Education Alliance Newsroom

ABS EDUCATION ALLIANCE RESPONDS TO IIHS STUDY

The recent study released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety may result in a dangerous misinterpretation by the driving public. The ABS Education Alliance is deeply concerned this study may raise unwarranted concern about, and undermine confidence in the effectiveness of anti-lock brake systems.

Previous studies conducted by AAMA/AIAM and NHTSA found that, overall, vehicles with ABS have a lower accident rate than similar vehicles without ABS. The IIHS study does not represent overall ABS effectiveness:

The IIHS study does not consider accidents overall, but only the 0.5 percent of accidents involving fatalities -- for which it found no definitive cause.
The sample is composed of predominantly high performance or specialty vehicles, presenting a likely statistical bias.
The sample size is limited and the data varies from year to year.

For these reasons, the IIHS study does not provide the necessary broad perspective of ABS’ effectiveness in helping drivers avoid more common multi-vehicle accidents. It offers no new insights and is little more than a review of a very small sampling of the most severe irregularities in traffic, not the norm.

The ABS Education Alliance believes indisputably in the safety value of anti-lock brakes. The technology has been proven repeatedly during decades of development and use in Europe and the U.S. to improve vehicle stability and control characteristics and, thereby, represents added value to vehicle purchasers. ABS also provides a meaningful reduction in the accident rate. It must be understood, however, that ABS does not give license to drive faster or less safely.

Today, more than 40 million ABS-equipped cars are on American roads. With such widespread and growing use, it is important that the American driving public knows how to properly use ABS under various emergency conditions. The ABS Education Alliance is dedicated to creating driver awareness and educating drivers about ABS.

While the IIHS study and previous studies suggest that driver behavior and other factors, such as speed and weather, may influence results, it does not consider these factors. The limits of such studies reinforce two needs:

a more comprehensive study of ABS and the causes leading to accidents, including the interaction of other factors such as driver behavior, and
better education about ABS and how to use it effectively.

To the first point, a cooperative government/industry effort to conduct a complete analysis of ABS effectiveness is being organized under NHTSA's Motor Vehicle Safety Research Advisory Committee (MVSRAC). This committee is composed of a broad based consortium of parties interested in a detailed and factual understanding of accidents involving ABS-equipped vehicles.

Because the only way that a technological advantage can become a personal safety advantage is through proper use, the ABS Education Alliance believes the primary public safety interest must be in education and offers the following tips for driving with ABS:

Always brake and steer when using anti-lock brakes -- With ABS, you “brake and steer.” Push the brake pedal while steering around hazards and keep your foot firmly on the brake pedal until the car comes to a complete stop. Do not take your foot off the pedal or pump the brakes because that will disengage the anti-lock system.
Remember you can steer to avoid hazards while braking with ABS -- Steer clear of hazards, while keeping your foot firmly on the brake pedal. Be aware that your vehicle will not turn as quickly on a slippery road as it would on dry pavement.
Expect noise and vibration in the brake pedal when your ABS is in use -- These sensations tell you ABS is working.
Practice using your ABS -- Practice in a non-emergency situation, such as an open parking lot, so you are familiar with ABS before an emergency condition presents itself.
Drive safely, because your ABS is only as good as the driver using it -- Anti-lock brakes cannot compensate for driving faster or more aggressively, or maintaining unsafe following distances. They cannot guarantee recovery from a spin or skid prior to an emergency braking situation. Avoid extreme steering maneuvers while your anti-lock brake system is engaged.

The ABS Education Alliance is a coalition of four companies that represent anti-lock brake manufacturers in the United States: Robert Bosch Corporation, Delphi Automotive Systems, and Continental Teves. For a brochure on how to “brake and steer,” call 1-800-ABS-8958.

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