New Federal Safety Standards May Reduce Risk of Injury for Children

A new federal safety rule will require that all new vehicles have "back-up cameras" by 2014. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is using the ruling to implement a 2007 law that amended the federal motor vehicle safety standard on rearview mirrors. The forthcoming rule change is designed to improve the ability of a driver to detect pedestrians, especially children, in the area immediately behind his or her vehicle. Hopefully, it will reduce the likelihood of a car running over a child pedestrian while the driver is backing out of the driveway. Cameras expand the field of view for all passenger cars, trucks, multipurpose passenger vehicles, buses, and low-speed vehicles.

The area right behind each vehicle must be visible when the driver puts the car's transmission in reverse. Today, only a wide-angle camera linked to a dashboard display meets that requirement. This technology will add between $159 and $203 to the cost of a new vehicle. However, the NHTSA is proposing additional, lower cost alternatives, like a sensor with a warning noise.

The rule is expected to prevent an estimated 228 car accident deaths every year. According to federal data, 44 percent of those killed in accidents are children under the age of five.

If your child has been hurt in a car accident, contact Michael S. Weisberg at 1-800-690-0235. We have 40 years of experience in dealing with car accidents in the Tidewater area of Virginia.