How Safe Is Your Cars Back-Up Camera?

Vehicles are getting more advanced by the day. One of the latest and probably most well liked technological advancements is the back-up camera. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, an estimated 292 people are killed and 18,000 injured each year by drivers who back into them. Objects that are low to the ground are generally in a vehicles blind spot, so it is easy for a driver to miss them.

According to West Bend, back-up cameras were introduced as early as 2003 and at that time only 3 out of a total 278 car models offered the cameras. Now in 2018, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) made it mandatory that every new car sold in the United States has a back-up camera. NHTSA’s rationale for this requirement is that between 58 and 69 lives could be saved each year if backup cameras were on every vehicle. With this new installment, the NHTSA estimates that a total of $546 to $924 million will be spent by automakers to install the new cameras.

Safety Concerns?

Although new back-up cameras have great image quality and are a good size, the cameras only provide drivers with a limited view of what is behind their vehicle. West Bend reports that cameras only provide an 80-degree field of view behind the vehicle, which in turn leaves 280 degrees of view around the vehicle that is not accounted for. NHTSA reports that even with the increase of vehicles with back-up cameras the number of accidents have only gone down 8%. Thus, it’s important for drivers to carry on with caution when they are backing up and make sure they check their surroundings.

How Can You Prevent Property Damage and Personal Injury?

Even if you have a back-up camera it is important to take your normal safety precautions. The West Bend put together a list of safety precautions that you should always take before backing up:

1. Park in a way that avoids backing-up all together.
2. Before you leave, walk around your vehicle to make sure nothing is hiding in the camera’s blind spot.
3. As you are back up, you should always proceed slowly and swivel from left, center, to the right so that you are checking every possible angle in case someone is walking while not paying attention.

Contact Us Today

If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact the Bottaro Law Firm, LLC to discuss your potential claim. Remember, delay can harm your case. Call us at 401-777-7777 or fill out our online form.