ChooseESC! campaign successfully launched

The Europe-wide ‘Choose ESC!’ campaign was launched at the Bridgestone European Testing ground near Rome 8th May 2007.   The event was visited by more than 150 key stakeholders from motoring organisations, consumer groups, motor industry and related suppliers, national authorities from EU member states and representatives of the media.  

The two campaign patrons European Commissioner Viviane Reding and FIA President Max Mosley opened the event calling for measures to be taken as fast as possible to save as much as 4.000 lives each year on Europe’s roads if all cars had Electronic Stability Control. 

The 7 times F1 Champion Michael Schumacher has given his endorsement to the ChooseESC! campaign and told the audience in a video statement that consumers should choose a car with ESC next time they buy a new car as it can save their life or the life of their family.  

Euro NCAP released its new ESC availability survey at the event and the result is rather surprising. British motorists are being offered cars with less life-saving anti-skid technology than in Latvia or Lithuania. They are also worse off than customers in the rest of Europe or the USA for the levels of the safety equipment fitted as standard. Just 55% of new cars sold it the UK fit the anti-skid devices as standard compared to 76% in Denmark, and 65% in Latvia and Lithuania. In the UK alone 400 lives could be saved and 3,000 serious injuries prevented each year. Europe wide 100,000 serious accidents could be avoided.   A technical workshop was also organised during the ChooseESC! event with presentations from the US, Australia and Canada.  

All background material, press clippings, images and other documentation can be found (here).