On March 31st, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a new regulation that would require all vehicles, including new trucks and buses, to be equipped by manufacturers with rear-view visibility equipment. Essentially, all vehicles sold in the US will be required to come with backup cameras as standard basic safety equipment.
The new rule applies to all private passenger vehicles with a gross weight rating up to 10,000 pounds. This will cover the full range of non-commercial motor vehicles, covering the smallest subcompacts up to full size vans and small trucks. It will be phased into affect in 2016 models and takes full effect on all models produced after May 2018.
NHTSA Responded to Consumer Groups’ Pressure for Backup Cameras
The rule was established in response to an outcry from consumer groups and families impacted by tragic back-over car accidents, particularly those involving children in parking lots. These groups had been campaigning hard against delays in implementing tougher standards and the NHTSA said it had been listening. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx wrote in a statement:
“We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable victims of back-over accidents—our children and seniors. 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.”
Under the new rule, all vehicles to be sold in the US will be required to come equipped with the ability for the driver to see a 10-foot by 20-foot zone directly behind the vehicle. There are also requirements specific to image size and other factors that pretty much ensure that rear-view cameras are the only feasible, cost-effective rear-view systems that will meet the standards.
In a 2010 report, the DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that each year 228 people die in light-vehicle backup incidents. Close to 44 percent of those fatalities involve children under age 5. The second most vulnerable group consists of older adults – seniors over the age of 70.
Previous Backup Camera Initiatives were Delayed, Safety Concerns Finally Addressed
Congress passed a law in 2007 ordering the Transportation Department to have a rule in place by 2011 to require cameras or other backup warning devices on all new cars and light trucks. However, up until March 31st, there have been multiple delays.
To try to break through, a coalition of car-safety advocates and parents sued the Obama administration last September. Two parents who had accidentally backed their cars over their own kids were the lead plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals in New York.
Despite the delay, some automakers have already begun putting cameras on all their new models. Many offer cameras as standard or optional equipment even on their smallest, most economical cars.
It is encouraging to see some automakers already taking action to help make the roadways a safer place. Through this new legislation, it is our hope that the amount of back-over accidents will be greatly reduced in the future.
References:
CBS – 10 News Tampa
