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This paper contains an analysis of the potential safety benefits of electronic stability control (ESC) for single unit trucks and tractor semitrailers within the U.S. operating environment. It is based on research projects [1,2] which combined hardware-in-the-loop simulation and vehicle testing with the analysis of independent crash datasets using engineering and statistical techniques to estimate the probable safety benefits of stability control technologies for 5-axle tractor-semitrailer vehicles and single unit trucks. The characteristics of ESC-relevant crashes involving these two vehicle classes were found to be very different as were the control strategies needed for crash avoidance. Rollover was the dominant ESC relevant crash type for tractor semitrailers while loss of control was the dominant ESC relevant crash for straight trucks.

Heavy truck rollover remains a primary factor in truck driver fatalities and injury. Roll stability control (RSC) and electronic stability control (ESC) are technologies that have been introduced to reduce the incidence of rollover in heavy truck crashes. This report provides an analysis of the real-world experience of a large for-hire company that introduced RSC into its fleet starting in 2004. The carrier provided a well-documented set of data on the operations of its truck-tractors, including both those equipped with RSC and those that did not have RSC installed. The purpose of the analysis is to determine the effect of RSC on the probability of rollover, as well as to identify other factors that either contribute to rollover or help reduce its incidence. This study presents results on the incidence of rollover both in terms of rollovers per 100 million miles traveled and the percentage of crashes that resulted in rollover.