A recently released study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety suggests that the number of backup accidents in New Jersey and around the country would be reduced by 62 percent if every vehicle was equipped with a rear automatic braking system. This kind of crash could be reduced by a further 16 percent when automatic braking technology is combined with rearview cameras and sensor arrays according to the nonprofit road safety group.
The safety benefits of backup cameras are well established, and, starting in May, they will become federally mandated safety equipment on all new cars, pickup trucks, minivans and SUVs sold in the United States. Automatic braking systems are also known to prevent car accidents and save lives, and the nation’s carmakers have vowed to fit such systems to all of their vehicles by 2022. However, there are no firm plans in place to make automatic rear braking systems standard. The technology is currently only available on about 5 percent of new vehicle according to the IIHS.
After testing the automatic rear braking systems currently on the market, the IIHS gave its highest ratings to the technology fitted to the Subaru Outback wagon and Cadillac XT5 SUV. The systems offered by BMW, Toyota, Infiniti and Jeep were also praised by the group for their speed reducing and collision avoiding capabilities.
The victims of backup accidents are often pedestrians who are struck by large vehicles backing out of driveways. The plaintiffs in car accident lawsuits are generally required to establish that others acted recklessly, but different rules may apply when pedestrians are struck by motor vehicles while walking on a sidewalk. In these situations, experienced personal injury attorneys might argue that the principle of res ipsa loquitur should apply and negligence on the part of the defendant should be presumed.
