The crash data is pretty compelling. No way you can pump as fast as an ABS systems, or brake individual corners to correct a skid as quickly as the computer can. Except when it goes rogue... (which fortunately isn't that often)
First let me say I believe it is very important to keep all safety systems properly maintained and in working condition, and one should never disable any of these systems.
I must respectfully disagree on "crash data", true one can't pump as fast nor brake one wheel at a time without.
Whereas many people don't have proper driving skills may benefit from ABS etc., it's ABS that limits many from having proper skills. For the housewife that will not drive on the HWY and is only interested in picking up the kids & groceries it's great I suppose. It can also be said; that many older drivers fall back on old school driving (pumping) with ABS in a pinch, which is very dangerous and can easily put things out of control.
As for me, I grew up driving on roads that were wet, sandy, snowy, icy and navigating mountain passes in some very challenging conditions without ABS, and to often with poor tires. I'd find large parking lots to practice accelerating, decelerating, braking, turning and controlling slides. I really love the AWD of our 100's, and the traction control but even that limits my ability to do controlled slides. I'm no stunt driver, it's just how we all learned as kids in the 70's. I can assure you these skills paid off handsomely in some very hair raising driving experiences. Years later I took my children to practice in these parking lots with ABS etc., they learned press and hold. This press and hold skill showed it's pitfall years latter in poor road conditions, it was not pretty. With todays cars we just press on the pedals and trust, tomorrow we'll not even do that. My LC ABS (my 1st ABS) has only gone off twice in 13 years; first year/time I drove on ice in Aspen CO., coming to a stop, put me halfway through stop. The second when I bleed my brakes and activated intentionally to complete bleeding procedure.
ABS from what I've read over the years hasn't be that great of a benefit. Perhaps when all the systems work well and take full control (autonomous driving) the crash data will change. Autonomous driving will take the skill/fun out of drive, but hey I can texted and surf the web on the way to the slopes.
IMHO the greatest benefits to modern car safety are seat belts, body design and air bags. But even seat belts need improvement as they are know killers in rollovers, as they don't lock unless forward impact detected.
I just Google and picked the first hit:
Killer ABS - The Truth About Cars
{ NHTSA, the insurance industry, manufacturers and engineers are all well aware of ABS’ shortcomings. In 1994, Dr. Charles J. Kahane published a paper for NHTSA entitled “Preliminary Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Antilock Brake Systems for Passenger Cars." Kahane reported that “All types of run-off-road crashes – rollovers, side impacts with fixed objects and frontal impacts with fixed objects – increased significantly with ABS. Nonfatal run-off-road crashes increased by an estimated 19 percent, and fatal crashes by 28 percent.” Kahane also concluded that “Rollovers and side impacts with fixed objects… had the highest increases with ABS. Nonfatal crashes increased by 28 percent, and fatal crashes by 40 percent.”
In 1996, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety published a news release titled “Antilock Brakes Don’t Reduce Fatal Crashes; People in Cars With Antilocks at Greater Risks- But Unclear Why.” In 1998, Leonard Evans of General Motors’ Global R&D Operations checked NHTSA’s ABS crash data and concluded “it is unlikely that on dry roads ABS can materially reduce risk” and, more shockingly, “ABS is associated with a 44% increase in rollover risk.” In 1999, the Society of Automotive Engineers reported that “ABS was found to be associated with a 51 percent increase in fatal rollover crashes on dry roads. For fatal side impact crashes, ABS produced a 69 percent increase for unfavorable road conditions, and a 61 percent increase for favorable road conditions.”
The average cost of an ABS system is $240. Multiply that figure by millions of vehicles, add the number of lives lost and the injuries suffered because of ABS' ill effects, and the true cost of this potentially lethal braking systems is evident. At the very least, NHSTA should launch an immediate investigation into the advisability of fitting SUV’s with ABS. Meanwhile, you’ve been warned: ABS can kill. }
