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Federal vehicle regulators have announced a new rule requiring car manufacturers to install backup cameras in every passenger vehicle produced after 2014. The regulation is designed to prevent so-called backover accidents, a particularly fatal form of motor vehicle accidents.
Some vehicles are already equipped with the cameras, but this new move will guarantee that all passenger vehicles have increased visibility.
The move was prompted after a presentation to Congress by the nonprofit group Kids and Cars, which involved a public service announcement showing the dangers of cars without the cameras.
In one demonstration, the group placed 62 children together behind an SUV. Astonishingly, none of the children was visible in the SUV’s mirrors. Advocacy groups say that this dangerous oversight is causing unnecessary deaths and injuries.
To be more specific, two children die and 50 more are injured each week in the United States due to backover accidents. In many cases, the driver is a family member, making the loss even more devastating.
One Philadelphia woman whose son died as a result of such an accident says she wants something positive to come out of her tragic experience, which is why she volunteers with the nonprofit group.
Kids and Cars reports that 60 percent of backover accidents involve larger vehicles such as SUVs, trucks or vans. The blind zone behind such vehicles can be as big as 50 feet, according to expert reports.
The group stresses that even with backup cameras, drivers must remain vigilant in order to protect youngsters throughout the nation. The camera, combined with traditional observation techniques, should combine to save children’s lives by allowing drivers to back up more safely, according to advocates.
Source: CBS Philly, “3 On Your Side: Back Up Cameras To Be Installed In All New Cars,” Feb. 28, 2012