Back Up Cameras Don’t Prevent All Car Accidents

Like most motorists, Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyer Joseph Lipsky relies on his vehicle’s back up camera when pulling out of a parking spot into the street. Unfortunately, recent research indicates that even with the ever increasing presence and use of back up cameras, drivers keep having backing up car accidents.

A recent report demonstrates that ongoing efforts by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to require back-up cameras as standard equipment in all new vehicles by 2018, may not be the miracle most believe. As back-up cameras have been in vehicles for many years, the government has ample data to evaluate as to their effectiveness in preventing car accidents.

As review of that data demonstrates that while the number of vehicles equipped with back up cameras rose nearly 100% over the past three years, that the number of personal injuries caused in backing up car accidents only dropped by under 10%. On a positive note, car accident wrongful deaths caused by backing up accidents did decrease by thirty percent, from 274 to 189, over the last four years.

The NHTSA believes that once back up cameras are in all vehicles, a process that will takes many years as all current non-equipped vehicles will have to come off the road, that 60  lives will be saved annually. Additionally, the government believes that the increased presence of back up cameras will help avert some of the most dangerous situations, those involving children playing at or near driveways.  Because many young children are not tall enough to be seen by even attentive drivers, back up cameras can certainly help drivers avoid running over a playing child.

While evidence proves that back up cameras do reduce a driver’s blind spots by nearly ninety percent, drivers who rely solely on their technology by staring solely at their dashboard screen, and do not look backwards themselves, too often still strike pedestrians, other vehicles and property. This is why drivers must only rely on back up cameras as a tool to aide them in the safe operation of their vehicle, and not think it alone will allow them to avoid an injury causing car accident.

Automobile manufacturers have a financial interest in installing rear view cameras, as most consumers state they are willing to pay upwards of $1,000.00 for that technology in their vehicle. Miami personal injury attorney Joseph Lipsky reminds his fellow Florida drivers that having technology is a valuable asset, but relying solely on it can have life altering repercussions. We remind all drivers to use all of their senses, and make sure to look backwards as a supplement to using a rear view camera.