The Brumby Labor Government has introduced regulations mandating that new vehicles be fitted with latest life-saving safety technology from 1 January, 2011, as part of an ambitious strategy to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Victorian roads.
Roads and Ports Minister Tim Pallas said Victoria had introduced road safety regulations to make it compulsory from 2011 for new passenger cars to have electronic stability control (ESC) technology fitted as standard.
"The Brumby Labor Government is taking action to improve our road network, reduce the road toll and provide important safety benefits for Victorian families," Mr Pallas said.
"The latest Australian research indicates that electronic stability control can reduce single-vehicle crashes by up to 29 per cent.
"This technology helps the driver remain in control when the vehicle starts to skid, swerve or when road conditions change. It is a sophisticated active safety feature that builds on current technologies such as anti-lock braking and traction control systems.
"Road safety experts the world over acknowledge ESC technology as the most significant vehicle safety innovation since seat belts. Regulating for ESC is yet another world-leading and bold move from Victoria, similar to the introduction of compulsory seat belts in the 1970s."
The Brumby Labor Government’s arrive alive strategy, launched in February 2008, flagged the regulation for mandatory ESC in new vehicles from 2011. Victorian industry, stakeholders and the public were invited to comment on the proposed regulations, published in June 2009.
Mr Pallas said as a result of submissions received, an amendment to exclude light commercial vehicles from the requirement was made.
"The consultation process identified that the lead time for manufacturers to design, test and install ESC systems into light commercial vehicles was unreasonable," he said.
"Recognising this, we consulted with the vehicle industry, amending the draft regulations to avoid adverse effects on Victorian manufacturers and dealers."
The Minister will be able to exempt certain vehicles that meet exceptional conditions from the mandatory regulations for up to 10 months or until 1 November 2011.
Mr Pallas said the Victorian ESC regulations would play a significant part in reducing serious injuries and fatalities from road crashes and the massive impact these incidents have on Victorian families and the wider community.
"In 2008 there were 120 deaths on Victorian roads involving run-off road crashes, including deadly rollovers. By making this active safety feature mandatory on new cars sold from January 2011, we expect many lives to be saved on our roads," he said.