Each year in the US, accidents when reversing vehicles claim the lives of more than 225 individuals – mostly small children - and cause approximately 17,000 injuries.
A new study reveals that in order to minimise these tragedies, vehicles should be equipped with a backup camera system with the related display located in the interior rearview mirror.
That's the primary conclusion of Exponent, an engineering and scientific consulting company, which recently concluded a two-month study evaluating driver interaction and performance with rearview camera systems.
"A number of previous studies have shown that rear camera systems reduce reversing accidents and that mirror-integrated rear camera displays are more effective than those located in the centre console," said Douglas Young, Ph.D.
"Our conclusions supported these findings yet also revealed how mirror-integrated displays have additional, significant advantages.
"In short, by placing the rear camera display in the mirror, you can increase display usage, improve driver scan patterns, enhance productive gaze durations and minimise reaction times."
Preventing accidents when vehicles are reversing has been a longstanding priority of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which currently plans to finalise by December 30 2011 new regulations requiring car makers to equip all new light vehicles sold in the US with camera rearview systems and related displays.
Currently, carmakers around the globe are working to ensure that all new vehicles will comply with the proposed regulations.
