Would I have been safer in a Prius?

It's EBD now? We're stripping parts strait off Lexus again?

 

Allow me to add that ALL new-gen Civics ('06-present) have ABS/EBD/TCS (traction control system). ESC (electronic stability control) is only available on EX and above (i.e. you pay more for it).
In the OP's situation, certainly ABS is sufficient to save you in a straight line.
EBD would help in hard braking/effective braking.
TCS (traction control) does not help you stop, it helps you get going.
ESC (or VSC in Toyota term) helps you go at the direction you intend to (i.e. counter sudden change in yaw rate - such as spinning off)
It is part of Honda's "Safety for Everyone" mandate to include ABS/TCS for all vehicles it sells. Not ESC/VSC.

ESC/VSC is a great system to have. I don't buy any vehicle w/o it.

 

A quick primer on the Alphabet-Soup nursemaids:

• ABS: Anti-lock Braking System. Monitors the speed of each wheel independently. Should one wheel's rate of deceleration be higher (slowing down faster) than the other three (reference) wheels, the system will pulse the brake on that wheel only. This keeps the wheel rotating, allowing it generate cornering forces so you can steer around an obstacle.
• EBD: Electronic Brakeforce Distribution. Back in the day, brakes were set up so that the front brakes did about 80% of the braking and the rears did about 20%. As time went on, there was a brake proportioning valve installed, which would vary the percentage of assist, front to rear, based on how much the vehicle was loaded. This valve was mechanical and actuated by a height sensor on the rear suspension. Today, the same task is accomplished electronically and will also take into account such factors as vehicle speed and pedal pressure.
• EBA: Electronic Braking Assist. This system looks at how quickly hydraulic pressure is built up in the system (directly related to how quickly the brake pedal is depressed, not how far) and, when a certain threshold is crossed, will apply full brake pressure to the limits of ABS adhesion. Studies have proven that in an emergency situation, drivers will either not apply full braking in an emergency situation or will back off brake pedal pressure when ABS engages, lengthening stopping distances. EBA takes over in an emergency and applies full braking. If the driver completely releases the brake pedal, normal braking resumes.
• TRAC: TRAction Control (sometimes called "electronic differential lock"). This system monitors the rotational speeds of the drive wheels during acceleration. Should the difference between the two wheels exceed a certain threshold, the TRAC system will mitigate the difference in speeds through brake application on the spinning wheel, retarding the timing, closing the throttle or a combination of the three. I do not know the paradigm in place on the Prius.
• VSC: Vehicle Stability Control (aka: VSA, ESC, ESP, StabiliTrak, AdvanceTrac). This system, though the data from the wheel speed sensors, steering angle sensor and yaw sensor, monitors the difference between the direction the car is heading and the direction the driver intended. Should the difference between intended and actual paths exceed a certain limit, the system will modulate braking to correct the path. This occurs whether accelerating, braking or coasting. In an understeer situation (where the front end is plowing forward), the system will pulse the inboard rear brake to create a rotational moment and cause the vehicle to pivot on the Z-axis and the front end will swing back into line. In an oversteer situation (where the rear end is swinging around), the system will pulse the outboard front brake to create the same rotational moment, causing the rear end to fall back into line. Think about the way a tank turns. If the tank driver wants to turn left, they slow down the left track and the tank pivots left. Same concept.

The two very important things to remember with all these systems are:

1. Nothing, no matter how sophisticated, will repeal the laws of physics.
2. Nothing can create traction where there is none. The use of snow tires during winter months gives the system more traction to work with.

In closing, if you drive like an @$$, you're gonna end up in the ditch. If you drive in a manner appropriate to the road conditions and get "caught out", these systems will help keep you out of hot water.

hope this helps.

 

I do not believe so much that your vehicle saved you from having actual damage to your person or car, but your cool head, quick responses and smart moves. Glad you came out OK, hope others did as well.