Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is a system that works to stabilize the behavior of an automobile when it goes through corners. ESC helps to maintain vehicle stability during a skid when a driver turns too hard or road conditions change suddenly and the roadway becomes slippery. When skidding is detected, ESC provides an integrated control of motor output and braking force to each wheel, to prevent spinning and road departure.

The research team selected ten automobile models that were originally designed and shipped without ESC, but subsequently became equipped with ESC as a standard feature. This enabled the analysis to isolate the effectiveness of ESC alone, and to minimize the influence of other factors such as model characteristics and customer segment. The research team analyzed the crash data held by the Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis (ITARDA). The team extracted 1,471 data points from single-car crashes and head-on crashes that were not caused by drunk driving or drowsy driving, and compared the crash rate (number of crashes per 10,000 cars) of cars with ESC to that of cars without the device.