The 2009 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner compact SUVs added to Ford's leading number of top-safety rated vehicles by earning five stars in each of the US government's crash-worthiness tests.

Both Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner earned the highest ratings for front- and side- impact tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

'Ford is a leader in safety and fuel economy,' said Susan Cischke, Ford's senior vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering.

'Ford has more five-star-rated vehicles than any other automaker, and we've committed to lead or be at the top of every segment in which we compete in terms of fuel efficiency.'

The 2009 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner feature safety and fuel efficiency upgrades to compete and win in the hotly contested compact sport utility market.

Both models, feature a full array of standard safety equipment, including dual front airbags, headliner mounted side curtain airbags, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, Ford-exclusive AdvanceTrac with RSC (Roll Stability Control) and tyre pressure monitoring system.

Ford and Mercury compact SUVs get some of their core strength from selective use of high strength steel in the body structure. The use of high-strength steel in the B-pillars to help protect passengers in front and side impacts is only part of their robust safety profile.

'We've devoted many hours to analysing and developing the body structure, safety belts and air bags of Escape and Mariner for better performance in front and side impact crashes,' said Steve Kozak, chief engineer for safety systems, Ford Motor Company.

'We've taken our compact SUVs to the next level of safety and have achieved better ratings than fierce competitors such as Toyota.'

The 2009 Ford and Lincoln Mercury lineup, including the new Escape and Mariner, continues the company's strong safety record, introducing even more standard safety features to customers.

Key Ford safety technologies include:

1) The safety canopy side-curtain air bag rollover protection system is a Ford exclusive feature that helps protect front and rear outboard passengers in both rollovers and side-impact crashes. It is designed to stay inflated for several seconds, as rollover crashes often last much longer than side-impact crashes.
 
2) AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control is the industry's only electronic stability control system that uses a unique gyroscopic sensor to monitor and help the driver prevent both side-to-side 'yaw' and roll motions that may lead to rollovers.
 
3) Personal Safety System, a suite of seven safety technologies, including dual-stage front air bags for the driver and front-seat passenger, and a front-passenger sensing system. Together, the system helps customise front air-bag deployment levels based on driver seating location, passenger weight and safety belt usage.
  
4) Tyre Pressure Monitoring System alerts drivers when tire pressure is low. Properly inflated tires are not only important for safety - they can also help save gas.
  
5) LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system for installation of child safety seats in vehicles consists of built-in straps and hooks on the safety seat and mating anchor hardware in rear seating positions. - TradeArabia News Service