In hearings highlighted by wrenching testimony from families whose children were killed or permanently disabled from vehicles that backed over them, officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) considered new regulations for requiring rear-view or back-up cameras on vehicles.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood said that about 300 people are killed each year and more than 18,000 are injured in back-up accidents. NHTSA officials estimate that the cameras could save more than 100 lives and prevent about 8,000 injuries each year. About 44 percent of back-up accidents involve small children, with around 33 percent involving seniors older than 70.
NHTSA administrator David Strickland favors mandatory back-up cameras, stating that they could significantly play a role in safety. The agency will set new standards on the cameras by the end of 2011. It had delayed final approval of a rule to consider concerns of auto manufacturers.
Do Costs Outweigh Lives Saved?
The automakers' major concern was over the added cost of installing the cameras, cost that would be passed on to consumers. The cost of a camera to auto buyers would range from around $58 to $88, according to the NHTSA. Equipping the 16.6 million new cars manufactured each year would cost from $1.9 billion to $2.7 billion.
Critics of the rule point out that the number of people killed is minuscule compared to other factors in auto deaths and that drivers still must consciously use the camera, or it has no effect at all. By merely checking all mirrors, a motorist can safely back up the vehicle. However, human nature often dictates that drivers ignore obvious safety practices and back up without looking.
While this might be true, the small price to pay for saving some lives and preventing serious injuries is more than worth any cost to many people, especially to the families who have experienced the horrendous consequences. Education and awareness of the dangers of backing up before looking and encouraging routine use of the cameras could save even more lives.
Drivers who fail to use the technology and injure someone might find themselves more likely to face claims of negligent conduct since use of the cameras could have avoided a catastrophic accident.
