Reducing Motor Vehicle Deaths Through Improved Rear View Technologies

In our series of publications on national efforts to reduce wrongful death and personal injury incidents involving tractor-trailers and eighteen wheelers, we discuss an often overlooked area, rear-view problems.

Everyone who drives a vehicle of any kind has experienced an occasion where they could not observe objects or people behind them.

The National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration is focused on implementing new rules to reduce rear-view obstruction problems.

Many of the suggestions are in use ona limited basis. One of the least expensive of these is the use of convex rear-view mirrors which expand the field of vision considerably.

Somewhat more expensive suggestions include rear-object backing detection systems and cameras.