The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ruled Monday all new vehicles less than 10,000 pounds come equipped with rearview cameras beginning May 2018 in an effort to prevent back-over accidents.
Back-overs result in an average of 210 deaths and 15,000 injuries each year, according to NHTSA. Thirty-one percent of those involve children younger than 5, and 26 percent involve senior citizens 70 and older. Once all vehicles are equipped with rear-visibility technology, 58 to 69 lives are expected to be saved, according to NHTSA.
Rear-visibility technology gives drivers an expanded view behind the vehicle when driving in reverse.
NHTSA’s rule, which includes buses and trucks, requires a 10-foot-by-20-foot field of view directly behind the vehicle. Linger time and deactivation requirements ensure the rearview image is available when necessary without being a distraction when unnecessary. Other requirements relate to image size, response time and durability.
