Backing News: Compulsory Cameras are Here

Today is the day. Back-up camera day. It's the day when all new cars need to have a camera to let you see out the back when you're reversing.

Changing safety regulations and the expanding sales of SUVs and crossovers has meant that visibility out of vehicles has become a problem. Pedestrians, especially young children and the elderly, are vulnerable to being struck by a vehicle while it is backing up. From 2004 to 2009, there were an estimated 27 fatalities and 1,558 injuries every year in Canada caused by vehicles reversing. The new cameras are expected to help reduce this significantly. In April 2014, US regulators passed a law requiring that drivers had to be able to see a certain sized area behind the car when reversing. That meant a back-up camera in almost every case.

Transport Canada passed a similar rule not long after, with the same end date. Taking effect today, May 1, 2018, drivers must be able to see a 610 cm (20-foot) by 305 cm (10-foot) area directly behind the car or truck when they are reversing.

Now that doesn't mean that every 2018 or 2019 model year car on the lot today has to have a camera. The rule says that cars and light trucks (in this case light truck includes most HD pickups) built starting today need to have a back-up camera or some sort of really good rear window to comply with the regulations.

That means that if you go shopping for a new car, most will have a back-up camera to help you reverse safely. And pretty soon they all will.