A Preventable Accident

Backing your car up and hitting your own child—or accidentally killing or seriously injuring someone else's child is a terrible nightmare. Tragically, over fifty children are killed each week in the United States by a driver backing up. In over 70% of these situations, a parent or other close relative is behind the wheel (kidsandcars.org). 

We commonly refer to the space that drivers cannot see while backing up as a "blind spot". Experts suggest, however, that it's more appropriate to refer to this as a "blind zone" as most cars have a blind zone behind them that measures 7-8 feet wide and 20-30 feet long. When backing out of a driveway or parking space, that is a lot of room for error!

So, what can we do to ensure that this sort of accident doesn't happen to us or our loved ones? Some sensible tips include:

• Walking around your car before hopping in to back out.
• Ensuring that all children are accounted for—inside the house, within eyesight, or in the care of another responsible adult, before moving your car.
• Teach children about car safety, including not to play around cars (moving or not), always to hold hands with a grownup in the street or parking areas, and waiting to get out of the car until you or another adult is within them.
• Keeping the driver's seat window rolled down as you back out so you can hear if anyone is calling out in alarm.
• Making use of back-up cameras with alert systems.

Find a complete list of tips here. 

"Backovers" are one of those horrific accidents that can be easy to dismiss because it seems impossible it could happen to us. Yet, it is a reality for hundreds of families each year. Making the above precautions into habits and teaching others to do the same can save lives.

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