Backup Camera Technology in Accidents Prevention

Drivers might follow all the driving rules like keeping all the mirrors adjusted, keeping their mind undistracted when driving and still bump into an accident. Most of these accidents are backover accidents. They often happen to children and the elderly. Children love being at the back of the car mostly when they are bidding goodbyes and because of their heights it gets hard for drivers to see them. Back-over accidents are caused by the blind zones in the vehicles which prevent drivers from seeing beyond the rear bumpers.

A lot of people are only worried about highway accidents without having in mind that a high percentage of accidents occur in the driveways and the parking areas. Although many cars have sensors that help drivers detect when they are about to hit an object, that is not enough to prevent a backover accident. Fortunately, there have been introductions of backup cameras that will help solve the problem. The backup cameras are said to work better by themselves than when used together with parking sensors.

Research showed that mirrors alone are not convenient enough in preventing accidents. Large vehicles have the worst rear visibility when small cars have the best. A research tested both the backup cameras and the parking sensors and discovered that cameras are more promising in addressing backover accidents.

How The Back-Up Camera Works

These cameras work differently depending on the implementation. The image quality also varies for different cameras. Some work by capturing video images of the area behind the car which are then displayed on a screen that is situated on the car’s dashboard while others work in conjunction with an alarm sensor that informs the driver when she/he is about to hit an object. Some apply the brake automatically before an object is hit. These are images of objects that cannot be seen by mirrors or glances only. Also, the cameras are helpful because the objects can be seen before it is too late and the driver can apply brakes. This is very beneficial mostly to old drivers or people with disabilities who might be unable to stretch and check behind while driving.

However, these cameras are not entirely convenient in preventing accidents as other aspects have to be considered too. Drivers must be aware of their surroundings before backing up. Some drivers will fail to check the blind spots just because they depend on the backup cameras to see everything happening behind the vehicle. The cameras may at times fail to capture all the images which will lead to an accident, and the drivers must be held responsible. Some of the incidences where the rear cameras might not be of help are;

• When the camera is affected by the weather conditions- During a rainy or foggy weather, it is hard for the camera to capture any images and the driver needs to come up with another plan to prevent accidents.
• When the object is in the shade- The driver may not be able to view an object that is in the shade since the camera cannot capture objects in dark places
• When the sunlight is bright- The camera will capture blurred images which might not be helpful to the drivers.
• When the driver fails to use the camera properly

Backup cameras can prevent accidents, but they should not be fully depended on. Some situations require the driver’s extra effort, and they should trust their instincts because the cameras may not show the whole picture.