The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today issued a final rule requiring rear visibility technology in all new vehicles under 10,000 pounds by May 2018. This new rule enhances the safety of these vehicles by significantly reducing the risk of fatalities and serious injuries caused by backover accidents.
“Safety is our highest priority, and we are committed to protecting the most vulnerable victims of backover accidents — our children and seniors,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “As a father, I can only imagine how heart wrenching these types of accidents can be for families, but we hope that today’s rule will serve as a significant step toward reducing these tragic accidents.”
Today’s final rule requires all vehicles under 10,000 pounds, including buses and trucks, manufactured on or after May 1, 2018, to come equipped with rear visibility technology that expands the field of view to enable the driver of a motor vehicle to detect areas behind the vehicle to reduce death and injury resulting from backover incidents. The field of view must include a 10-foot by 20-foot zone directly behind the vehicle. The system must also meet other requirements including image size, linger time, response time, durability, and deactivation.
“Rear visibility requirements will save lives, and will save many families from the heartache suffered after these tragic incidents occur,” said NHTSA Acting Administrator David Friedman. “We’re already recommending this kind of life-saving technology through our NCAP program and encouraging consumers to consider it when buying cars today.”
On average, there are 210 fatalities and 15,000 injuries per year caused by backover crashes. NHTSA has found that children under 5 years old account for 31 percent of backover fatalities each year, and adults 70 years of age and older account for 26 percent.
NHTSA took time on this regulation to ensure that the policy was right and make the rule flexible and achievable. In fact, at this point, many companies are installing rear visibility systems on their own, due to consumer demand. Including vehicles that already have systems installed, 58 to 69 lives are expected to be saved each year once the entire on-road vehicle fleet is equipped with rear visibility systems meeting the requirements of today’s final rule.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
3 Responses
It also raises costs, especially on cheaper cars (since the new system adds the same cost regardless of whether it is on a Yaris or a Mercedes). A better mirror might accomplish the same for less. Remember the estimate of many lives it might save (something that can never be proven, though one is skeptical that someone who doesn’t check the mirror will check the electronic imaging system), comes from those who stand to make money from selling the system they are touting. It would be better to take pity on people who need their car to earn a livlihood who will be forced onto welfare by raising the cost of car ownership.
I think that these cameras should also include a beeping sound when you are backing to close to something.
I have that, and it doesnt compare to not having it
Just like seatbelts and airbags, right Aaron? Most new cars, even compact budget cars, have the camera anyway. It’s a market-driven phenomenon. Everyone knows it’s safer, and everyone expects them to be standard equipment. The cost is the cost of a webcam and a small monitor, no more than a few dozen dollars.
Welfare? Please…