Overview
- Researchers reporting at the AAP meeting found roughly a 62% drop in pediatric backover events after the 2018 rule requiring backup cameras in all new vehicles.
- The share of injuries classified as severe fell by nearly half, and publicly reported child fatalities declined by about 78% in the post‑mandate period.
- The retrospective analysis covered children under 5 from January 2011 through November 2024 using a Level I pediatric trauma center registry (71 cases) and a Kids and Car Safety list (28 cases).
- The results were presented as a conference abstract in Denver and remain preliminary until published in a peer‑reviewed journal, according to the study team.
- Because many older cars lack the feature, the authors recommend prioritizing and subsidizing retrofit backup cameras to extend protection to the existing fleet.