Rollover Crashes

WASHINGTON (CN) - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reconsidered its 2007 safety standard that requires new SUVs and other light vehicles to come with electronic stability control systems to reduce rollovers.

Several auto manufacturers had petitioned for technical changes.

Electronic stability control, or ESC, systems use automatic computer-controlled braking of individual wheels to help the driver handle the car if it begins to spin out or will not turn.

The NHTSA states that most of the new vehicles with ESC systems meet the main part of the standard, and it is primarily the controls for the system and the dashboard display on new cars that need work. The rule changes include shortening up the schedule to require that 55 percent of a manufacturer's light vehicles made from September through August comply with the standard; 75 percent made from next September through August 2010; 95 percent made from September 2010 through August 2011; and all light vehicles made as of Sept. 1, 2001 must meet all parts of the standard. This is a change from 30/60/90/All.

The display requirements have been deferred until the end of the phase-in period.

Click the document icon on the front page for details and other new regulations.

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