NHTSA Proposing to Require Back-Up Cameras in All Cars

A key federal safety agency has proposed a new rule that would require all new vehicles to have back-up cameras by 2014.

2011-03-31

March 31, 2011 (Press-News.org) A key federal safety agency has proposed a new rule that would require all new vehicles to have back-up cameras by 2014. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is seeking to implement a 2007 Act of Congress that directed NHTSA to amend the federal motor vehicle safety standard on rearview mirrors.

The rule change is designed to improve the ability of a driver to detect pedestrians in the area immediately behind his or her vehicle and minimize the likelihood of a vehicle's running over a pedestrian while its driver is backing the vehicle.

The proposed rule expands the required field of view for all passenger cars, trucks, multipurpose passenger vehicles, buses, and low-speed vehicles rated at 10,000 pounds or less, gross vehicle weight.

Rationale for the Rule

Under the rule, an area immediately behind each vehicle would be specified that the driver must be able to see when the vehicle's transmission is in reverse. Currently only a wide-angle camera connected to a dashboard display could meet that requirement.

Because this technology will add between $159 and $203 to the cost of a vehicle, NHTSA has also proposed some lower cost alternatives, including 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 back-up accidents are children under the age of five. Eighty percent of the victims are under the age of three. Preventing death and injuries to children is therefore a prime goal of the rule.

Cost Considerations

Given the young age of the victims and the ineffectiveness of warning/sensor systems in preventing their likelihood of being backed over, the cost of the cameras is not excessive. This is especially so given the terrible nature of many back-up accidents, in which parents sometimes run over their own children.

The price of the cameras also must be put in perspective compared to other vehicle accessories. For example, the 2011 Honda Odyssey's floor mats cost $199. Most people would probably agree the potential for saving a child's life is at least the price of a set of floor mats.

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