ABS STUDY SHOWS ACCIDENT REDUCTION

ABS EDUCATION ALLIANCE: DRIVER EDUCATION KEY TO INDIVIDUAL BENEFIT

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 1, 1996) -- Today's release of an in-depth study by an independent research firm shows vehicles equipped with four-wheel anti-lock braking systems (ABS) are involved in significantly fewer accidents than vehicles without ABS -- up to 10 percent fewer accidents overall.

"This study confirms the real-world value of anti-lock brakes," said Sam Memmolo, national spokesman for the ABS Education Alliance. "What's most important now is that everyone who drives an ABS-equipped vehicle understands how the system works and how to use it so it becomes an individual, and not just a statistical, advantage."

The benefits of ABS become even more apparent on wet, snowy and icy roads, where ABS-equipped vehicles were found to be involved in up to 19 percent fewer accidents than non-ABS vehicles.

"If you drive in the desert, ABS works. But if you ever drive in rain, sleet or snow, there's an even greater advantage with ABS," Memmolo said.

ABS-equipped vehicles also were found to be involved in fewer accidents involving injuries than non-ABS equipped vehicles: up to 13 percent fewer accidents involving injuries overall and 28 percent fewer on wet roads.

According to Failure Analysis Associates, Inc., the group that conducted the study for the American Automobile Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM), the study "provides new evidence of the safety performance of anti-lock braking systems."

With the results of the study clearly showing the value of anti-lock brakes, the ABS Education Alliance is encouraging every driver of an ABS-equipped vehicle to learn more about the system and its proper use. Memmolo points out that increased education is the best way for individual drivers to translate a statistical advantage into a personal driving advantage.

The ABS Education Alliance, a coalition of the leading anti-lock brake manufacturers, was formed in October to educate the public about the proper use of ABS. The group has established a toll-free number for the public to call for information and a free brochure on ABS and its proper use: 1-800-ABS-8958.

The study released Thursday examined a total of more than 43,000 police-reported accidents in Florida, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, and involved 34 pairs of vehicle models. Each pair included a vehicle from the first year in which ABS was available as standard equipment and the same or a similar model from the nearest preceding year without ABS.

The AAMA/AIAM-sponsored study used police accident reports and vehicle registration information to collect the best possible real-world data on accidents and provide a more in-depth analysis. It differed in that respect from previous studies, such as one by the insurance industry that was based primarily on insurance claims.

This latest study also confirms findings of fewer accidents involving ABS-equipped vehicles found in a report conducted in 1994 by the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. But the methodology of the AAMA/AIAM study goes further in analyzing the impact of ABS and clarifies some issues raised by NHTSA.

For instance, in the accidents studied by Failure Analysis Associates, the benefits of ABS were most apparent in reducing accidents involving two or more vehicles. In single-vehicle accidents, such as rollovers, there was no significant change or a slight increase in accidents with ABS vehicles. But the study points out that these types of accidents represent only 1 percent to 2 percent of all accidents and -- in the case of Florida -- the increase translates to less than one rollover per 10,000 vehicles per year.

As in previous studies, this latest report shows no difference in the number of fatality accidents involving ABS and non-ABS equipped cars.

Memmolo said this finding is important for drivers to understand.

"ABS gives the driver an advantage in terms of vehicle stability and control in an emergency braking situation.

"But there's no substitute for a safe, responsible driver. ABS can't compensate for driving too fast or too aggressively, nor can it change the laws of physics," he said.

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