Statement on the Department of Transportation’s Decision to Delay the Rule to Prevent Backover Deaths

Washington, DC (June 24, 2013) — Rep. Jan Schakowsky released the following statement on the Department of Transportation delay on the rule to prevent backover deaths:

"Last week, the Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that it would, for the fifth time, delay the finalization of a rule to prevent rear backover deaths. I am angered and disappointed by the NHTSA's decision to finalize the rule to prevent these preventable incidents.

"Every year, almost 202 people die as a result of unintended rear backovers, including 100 children under the age of five. In addition, about 14,000 Americans are injured in backover accidents. To save families from the future trauma of those incidents, I sponsored the Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act, which was signed into law in 2008.

"We live in a dangerous world, and, as much as we want to, we can't protect our children from every hazard. But we can absolutely protect hundreds of children from needlessly being killed, often by a loving parent who can't see her child as the car backs out of the driveway. We have the technology: about half of all cars come with standard rear cameras, and they cost no more than $203 to install.

"Every week this rule is delayed, we lose four Americans to backover deaths. This is simply unacceptable. We can't afford to wait any longer."

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