Rearward-visibility rule proposed to protect pedestrians--especially kids--from backo

[Curacao]

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed a new safety regulation to protect pedestrians from backover accidents, a tragedy that the agency estimates causes 292 fatalities and 18,000 injuries each year. The regulation will expand the required field of view for all passenger cars, pickup trucks, minivans, and buses, and NHTSA believes automakers will install rear-view cameras to meet the standards. (Read: "Best and worst vehicle blind zones, and the role of rearview cameras.")

The rule has a progressive roll out requiring 10 percent of new models to comply by September 2012; 40 percent by September 2013; and 100 percent by September 2014. Notably, in car development cycles, this calls for a relatively rapid deployment.

NHTSA cites that about 44 percent of fatalities from light-vehicle backover accidents involve small children, under age five. At the other end of the spectrum, about a third of the fatalities claim seniors aged 70 years and over.

The main reason that back-over accidents are so frequent is that every vehicle has a rear blind zone--the area you can't see from the driver's seat. And that zone to the rear is bigger than you might think, typically ranging from about 15 feet for a family sedan, 20 feet for a midsized SUV or minivan, all the way to 50 feet for some pickup trucks—plenty of space for an unwary child to be in harm's way.

We have noticed a trend with new vehicles for thicker rear pillars and higher beltlines, limiting outward visibility. Even sedans now frequently have high rear package shelves and trunk lids. The trend is influenced by both styling and increased roof-crush standards, though as vehicles like the Subaru Forester prove, good crash protection and visibility can work together.

Rear-view cameras have become more common in recent years, particularly on luxury SUVs and sedans. While they're also available on an increasing number of more affordable vehicles, the option can often be hard to find on a dealer's lot, or may be bundled with other options like a navigation system.

The proposed rule was required by Congress as part of the Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act of 2007, an important piece of legislation that Consumers Union strongly supported and that will help save lives.

Source: http://blogs.consumerreports.org