When the Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act of 2007 was passed by Congress, the Act required a new safety regulation to help eliminate blind zones behind vehicles. Cameron Gulbransen, for whom the Act was named, was two years old when his father accidentally backed over him in the family’s driveway.

As a result, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing an expansion of the required rear field of view for all passenger cars, pickup trucks, minivans, buses, and some low-speed vehicles. NHTSA believes that automakers will respond to this proposal by adding rear-mounted video cameras and in-car displays to meet the new standards, which must be met by all new vehicles by 2014.

“The steps we are taking today will help reduce back-over fatalities and injuries not only to children, but to the elderly, and other pedestrians," said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. "And while these changes will make a difference, drivers must remember that no technology can, or should, replace full attention and vigilance when backing up. Always know where your children are before you start your car and make sure you check that there is no one behind you before you back up."

NHTSA estimates that approximately 292 fatalities and 18,000 injuries occur each year as a result of back-over crashes involving all vehicle types, with the majority happening with light vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less. Approximately 44 percent of the fatal crashes involve children under 5 years of age and 33 percent of fatalities involve the elderly.

Once this proposal is published in the Federal Register, the public can comment for 60 days. Go to http://www.regulations.gov.