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Kids Getting Backed Over
July 8, 2010 Updated Jul 8, 2010 at 4:03 PM EDT

For many car buyers, big SUVs and minivans seem like the good choice. They're big and sturdy and, as such, appear to be safe. But when it comes to little ones playing in the driveway, the opposite may be true. According to the non-profit group 'Kids and Cars,' the number of children killed by a vehicle backing over them has tripled in last several years. Bob Wilson, with the National Safety Council, says "There have always been some back over accidents occurring, but I think we're seeing an increase in the number because of some of the vehicles getting larger- the SUV's and minivans that have larger blind spots than some of the previous vehicles did." So, is technology the solution? Not entirely. Wilson adds that "Camera's are available that you can install in the back of the vehicle, but all those are very expensive and while yes they would be good, common sense is really what we're recommending." Common sense that includes first walking around your vehicle before backing out of the driveway.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over 7-thousand injuries occur every year from backover crashes.

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