ABS BENEFITS DRIVERS IN EMERGENCY BRAKING SITUATIONS

A Response to USA Today with commentary from AAA and NHTSA

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., March 4, 1998 -- The ABS Education Alliance believes USA Today, in its March 4 issue, is right to acknowledge the need for educating the driving public on the proper use of anti-lock brakes (ABS). However, the Alliance is concerned that drivers will be misled by conclusions in the article that are drawn from old data which does not fully represent the actual vehicle population.

In addition, the article revisits long de-bunked myths -- such as the effect of cellular telephones on ABS performance -- which can cause unnecessary concern and confusion among drivers.

The ABS Education Alliance maintains that for more than a decade, ABS has been recognized as a proven safety technology which, when properly used, can help drivers avoid crashes in emergency braking situations.

Industry experts agree.

"AAA stands behind the technological benefits of anti-lock brakes as the system is a proven advancement in modern automobile safety," said AAA Managing Director of Traffic Safety Mark Edwards. "Questions raised about the effectiveness of ABS only underscore what organizations like AAA and the ABS Education Alliance have known all along -- drivers need to be educated on the proper use of ABS."

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says, "When used properly, an anti-lock brake system (ABS) is a safe and effective braking system. ABS allows the driver to maintain directional stability, control over steering and, in some situations, to reduce stopping distances during emergency braking situations, particularly on wet and slippery road surfaces." NHTSA adds, "To gain this safety advantage, drivers must learn how to operate their ABS correctly."

The best testimony to the proven effects of ABS is that virtually all highway safety experts, from the head of NHTSA to the head of GM’s Vehicle Safety Center, personally drive vehicles with ABS.

USA Today commissioned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to revisit data from IIHS’ December 1996 study that examined crashes involving passenger vehicles with and without anti-lock brakes. However, the IIHS data has some flaws:

• It does not consider accidents overall, but only the 0.5 percent of accidents involving fatalities.
• 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.

USA Today does acknowledge that there have been various findings from other studies on ABS conducted in recent years. Among these is a February 1996 study commissioned by the American Automobile Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM) and conducted by Failure Analysis Associates (FaAA) which found ABS to be associated with approximately a 10 percent overall reduction in crashes.

"ABS is designed to help prevent crashes," said Rosemarie Kitchin, director of the ABS Education Alliance. "The best way we can measure that ABS is working is by the anecdotal stories people tell us about how ABS helped them avoid a crash and, in some cases, saved their lives.

"But drivers need to practice ABS to become familiar with the way the technology sounds and feels before they find themselves in an emergency situation. With practice, drivers can benefit from the technology."

Both the ABS Education Alliance and NHTSA offer consumers tips on driving with ABS on their Web sites and agree that education is a critical component. These can be found at www.abs-education.org and www.nhtsa.dot.gov/hot/abs.html, respectively. For drivers who prefer the telephone , the Alliance has a toll-free number, 1-800-ABS-8958, where they can receive tips on using ABS and order a free brochure.

As the USA Today article notes, NHTSA is currently involved in a multi-year study of ABS to identify what factors are involved in measuring the overall effectiveness of ABS. What the article does not point out is that driver performance is among the variables being studied by NHTSA.

Today, more than 50 million ABS-equipped cars and light trucks 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 in its third year of outreach to the driving public. Working with driver influencers and educators, the Alliance has developed a curriculum for driver educators and is working to have test questions on proper ABS use added to state drivers’ license exams.

The fact is, ABS prevents wheel-lock, which can cause skidding and a loss of control in emergency situations. With ABS, a driver can maintain control, allowing the car to go where the driver steers it. That is, if a driver steers a little to the right, the car will travel a little to the right; if a driver steers a lot to the right, the car will follow.

Furthermore, the ABS Education Alliance members have invested thousands of man-hours over the course of several years for each vehicle platform, performing tens of thousands of tests on each type of car in which ABS is installed -- tests for every driving maneuver on every road surface condition.

Regarding such myths as the effect of cellular phones, the Alliance acknowledges that decades ago there was concern about operating ABS near radio towers or other large, electronic communications sites. The Alliance knows of no reported case of cellular phones interfering with ABS. With advances in technology, this simply is no longer cause for concern.

The ABS Education Alliance believes education is key to understanding the technology 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 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.

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, Continental Teves and LucasVarity Automotive.

Third-party advocates for the ABS Education Alliance

"AAA stands behind the technological benefits of anti-lock brakes as the system is a proven advancement in modern automobile safety. Questions raised about the effectiveness of ABS only underscore what organizations like AAA and the ABS Education Alliance have known all along -- drivers need to be educated on the proper use of ABS."
-- Mark Edwards, AAA Managing Director of Traffic Safety Programs

"Do the anti-lock brake systems work? Yes they do. Would I like to have one in my car? Yes I would. But do I need to be told how to use it properly and should I practice it? Absolutely."
-- Dr. Ricardo Martinez, NHTSA Administrator
ABC-TV "World News Tonight," Oct. 16, 1997

"Technology and training go hand in hand. In the case of ABS, drivers need to understand how the technology is designed to help them before they find themselves in a situation where they need to use it. Education is critical."
-- Allen Robinson, American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association CEO

"Anti-lock brakes could be the most important development in automobile safety in the last 50 years."
-- Lesley Hazleton, Detroit Free Press auto writer and author

"Anti-lock brakes are a great safety device...They help motorists bring their cars under control in panic situations and allow them to maintain control of the steering."
-- Jim Mateja, Chicago Tribune auto writer