Since 1990, 36 children in South Carolina and North Carolina have died because they were backed over by motor vehicles. Nationwide, backover accidents kill more than 200 people and seriously injure more than 17,000 each year, according to a report by CNN.
Children under the age of 5 represent 44 percent of those deaths. For the most part, these fatalities occur in driveways.
History of Rear Cameras
In 2008, Congress responded to the dangers of back-over accidents by creating a law that required new cars to have rear-mounted video cameras. It gave the Department of Transportation until 2011 to put this rule into action.
However, the department extended that deadline twice, CNN reported. It cited the large number of comments from the general public and the complexities of the rear-camera mandate for this delay. Two years later, back-up cameras have yet to be a requirement on all new vehicles.
Families Protest in Washington, D.C.
Because the law remains in limbo, families who have lost loved ones in back-over accidents recently met in Washington, D.C., to demand cameras for every new vehicle on the market.
Two members of Congress joined families from around the country for a Capitol Hill press conference. Representatives Jan Schakowsky, D-Illinois, one of the sponsors of the bill, and Peter King, R-New York, urged the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to finalize the back-up camera regulation created in 2008.
At this time the NHTSA is still reviewing the rule, but the federal agency says this law will most likely be issued in the near future.
Need Legal Help?
Our South Carolina car accident attorneys at Joye Law Firm represent people who have been seriously injured in accidents that were someone else’s fault. We understand that no matter the cause, an accident can have physical, emotional and financial consequences for all involved. That’s why we’re always ready to fight for your rights. For a free consultation, call us at 877-941-2615 or fill out our convenient online form today.
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