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Backup Cameras Prevent Accidents

May 31, 2018

Delaware County Car Accident Lawyers advocate for improved vehicle safety. Backup cameras are an extremely popular feature these days. Also known as “reversing cameras” or a “rear-view camera,” they are attached to the rear of a vehicle so that the driver can see behind them while backing up. Backup cameras can help prevent a driver from striking a child, pet, or object that is in their blind spot. The blind spot behind a car is colloquially known as “the killing zone” for a reason.

Backup cameras became common around 2014, when the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) required that all vehicles must be fitted with them by May of 2018. Backup cameras must visually cover an area of at least ten-by-twenty feet behind the car. Backup camera systems are also required to show the driver a picture of the area behind their car within two seconds of putting the vehicle into reverse. They cost less than $150 per vehicle to install, a small price to pay for the great contribution they make to improving a vehicle’s overall safety.

The rule requiring backup cameras in all passenger vehicles (trucks, SUVs, cars, vans, etc.) came out after the NHTSA had conducted a study, which found that over 200 people are fatally injured every year in the United States in a backup incident. Many more are injured, with an estimated 15,000 people per year.

These accidents typically affect seniors and small children. According to the NHTSA, equipping all cars with this technology will save between 58 and 68 lives every year.

Benefits of Backup Cameras

Another study found that about 60 percent of drivers in vehicles equipped with a backup camera avoided driving over an inanimate object that had been placed behind their car without their knowledge. This same study found that all drivers who were driving vehicles that had not been equipped with a backup camera struck the child-size, stationary object that researchers placed behind their cars.

Although all new cars must be fitted with backup cameras, it is not a big expense to fit your older model with a backup camera. Retailers sell inexpensive set-ups for as little as $15, which can be easily installed with a screwdriver. If your car is fitted with a backup camera, be sure to clean it regularly so that the lens is kept clear and in good working order.

Delaware County Car Accident Lawyers at Eckell Sparks Successfully Represent Injured Accident Victims

If you have been injured in a car accident caused by someone’s negligence, we can help you obtain compensation. Most car accidents are caused by driver error, but in some cases, an auto manufacturer or city planner may also be held liable for defective design or unsafe urban planning. We can help you get the answers you are looking for.

The Delaware County car accident lawyers at Eckell, Sparks, Levy, Auerbach, Monte, Sloane, Matthews & Auslander, P.C. have an extensive track record of obtaining successful results for our clients. Call us today at 610-565-3701 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. From our offices in Media and West Chester we provide experienced counsel to clients in Southeastern Pennsylvania including Delaware County, Montgomery County, and Chester County.