The NZ Transport Agency is welcoming today’s announcement that electronic stability control (ESC) will be phased in as a mandatory feature in new and used light vehicles entering the New Zealand fleet, starting with new vehicles from July 2015.
Transport Agency Road Safety Director Ernst Zollner said changes to mandate ESC were identified as a priority in the Government’s Safer Journeys – Road Safety Strategy to 2020.
“The Safer Journeys strategy aims to create a transport system that is increasingly free of deaths and serious injuries by looking across the entire road system to improve safety by creating safer roads and roadsides, safer speeds, safer road use and safer vehicles,” Mr Zollner said.
“Having more vehicles on our road equipped with ESC will greatly reduce the risk of crashes resulting from a driver losing control of the vehicle. Research carried out by the Ministry of Transport and the NZ Transport Agency indicates that once ESC is mandated in New Zealand, it could save an additional 22 lives, prevent 102 serious injuries and prevent 400 minor injuries over the next 20 years.”
Associate Minister of Transport Hon. Michael Woodhouse announced the Government’s decision to introduce mandatory requirements for ESC today. The Transport Agency, in conjunction with the Ministry of Transport, carried out public consultation, which ran for six weeks in April/May this year.
For more information on this change, go to the Transport Agency website(external link)
For more information please contact:
Andy Knackstedt
Media Manager
NZ Transport Agency
T: 04 894 6285
M: 021 276 3222
E: andrew.knackstedt@nzta.govt.nz
