Marking a milestone for its full-stability technology, Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems recently delivered its 100,000th Bendix ESP Electronic Stability Program system for tractor-trailers, trucks and motor coaches. “In 2008 – the most recent year in which statistics are available – more than 11,000 rollovers and 4,000 jackknifes occurred on our nation’s highways,” said Fred Andersky, Bendix director of marketing – Controls. “Reaching this milestone, while a significant achievement for Bendix, is also a major step forward in helping fleets and their drivers improve safety on our roads.”
Current Bendix stability OEMs – International, Kenworth, Peterbilt, Mack and Volvo – offer Bendix ESP, and other OEs such as Prevost offer ESP for motor coaches. Bendix says the technology is finding application in a variety of niche markets for medium-duty vehicles such as fire trucks, ambulances and other vocational applications.
“Bendix ESP, or any advanced safety technology, does not replace the need for a good driver, safe driving practices and ongoing driver training,” Andersky says. “The technology won’t make a bad driver a good driver, but it might help a good driver avoid a bad situation.”
Bendix cited a October 2009 study conducted for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute that found that full-stability technologies that address both roll and directional stability result in 34 percent fewer crashes, 19 percent fewer fatalities and 35 percent fewer injuries. The study noted that “Tractor-semitrailer crashes tend to be complex events. Therefore, it is anticipated that technologies – such as ESP – would have additional benefits across a broad range of crash types.”
U.S. government studies report that accidents involving injuries can cost an average of more than $200,000 per event, while the cost of fatalities can average more than $3 million per incident. “Time after time, our fleet customers tell us the value of preventing one accident typically covers the cost for equipping the entire fleet with ESP,” Andersky says. “And with the cost of crashes continuing to grow, the ROI for stability is a relatively easy calculation. Plus, keeping in mind the new CSA 2010 environment that will impact both fleets and drivers, an ounce of prevention may go a long way.”
