You keep your mirrors adjusted, pay close attention to the road, don’t drive distracted and obey the speed limit. You might think you’re doing everything you can to avoid an accident, but there is one hazard you might not have accounted for: backover accidents.
More than 200 people are killed in backover accidents every year. Even worse? Forty-four percent of those killed are children under the age of five.
Even when you correctly use your rearview and side mirrors, there is a large blind spot directly behind your vehicle. If you are unaware of an object or person behind your car, you might not become aware until it is too late.
Fortunately, there is a way to beat the blind spot—and that’s by installing a backup camera. Unlike a rearview mirror, a backup camera gives you a clear view of the entire area directly behind your vehicle.
How backup cameras keep you—and others—safe
Did you know that 20 percent of accidents happen in parking lots? Today, many new cars come with sensors that alert you with a light or a noise if you’re about to hit something. While these sensors can be helpful, backup cameras have been found to be more effective at helping drivers avoid accidents while reversing.
This is especially important when it comes to kids and what Kids and Cars refers to as “Bye-Bye Syndrome”. Young children dislike being left behind, so they often follow behind the person saying “bye bye.:
Many children mistakenly believe that the driver can see them since they can see the driver. Sadly, 70 percent of the time a parent or close relative is behind the wheel during a backover accident. A backup camera can be a way to prevent these kinds of tragic incidents.
An affordable option
Adding a backup camera to your car is not as expensive as you may think. If you already have a monitor in your vehicle, the cost of adding a backup camera is only about $50. There are also a wide variety of affordable aftermarket backup cameras for cars without a built-in screen.
If backup cameras are such a valuable accident prevention tool, you might be wondering why they aren’t mandatory in all vehicles. Well, soon they will be.
Thanks to a long awaited mandate from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, all new vehicles will come with a backup camera as a standard safety feature as of May 1, 2018. Until then, consider installing your own camera. Also make sure you have the right auto insurance. An insurance professional like an Erie Insurance agent can tell you about affordable coverage options.
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Chris Triplett is the President and founder of Camera Source, an online retailer of quality automotive, agriculture, and commercial camera systems.