Back Over Statistics:
Every year, thousands of children are hurt or die because a driver backing up didn't see them.
KIDS AND CARS has documented 561 incidents from 1994-2004 primarily involving children under the
age of 4, who were backed over when a vehicle was backing up. These incidents for the most part took
place outside in residential driveways or parking lots.
* A death occurred in 392 of the 561 documented incidents.
* An injury or death occurred in 99% of cases documented in the database.
* The predominant age of victims was one year olds. (12-23 months)
* Over 60% of backing up incidents involved a larger size vehicle. (Truck, van, SUV)
* Tragically, in over 70% of these incidents, a parent or close relative is behind the wheel.
* The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2/18/05 study reports over 2400 children are treated
in emergency rooms every year due a child being struck by or rolled over by a vehicle moving in
reverse.
KIDS AND CARS urges all adults to heighten their awareness before they engage a vehicle into
reverse; especially when children are present. Young children are impulsive and unpredictable; still
have very poor judgment, and little understanding of danger. In addition young children do not
recognize boundaries such as property lines, sidewalks, driveways or parking spaces. Toddlers have
established independent mobility between the ages of 12-23 months, but the concept of personal
safety is absent. Backovers are often the predictable consequence of a child following a parent into the
driveway without their knowledge.
Backovers can happen in any vehicle because all vehicles have a blind zone; the area behind a vehicle
you can’t see from the driver’s seat. The danger tends to increase with larger vehicles. “The longer the
vehicle and the higher the rear that you look out from, the more difficult it is to see a child or something
on the ground behind,” states David Champion, director of Consumer Union’s Automotive Testing
Division.
It’s always best to look carefully behind the vehicle before you get in and again before you put the car
in gear and back up. Remember to back up slowly, and pay attention to your mirrors.
