A report released last week showed surprising results when testing backup cameras and parking sensors. In the experiment, 56% of drivers with backup cameras hit a child-sized object that was placed behind their cars, while parking sensors helped just 1 out of 16 drivers avoid a crash. Drivers who had both the camera and the sensors were actually more likely to hit the object than those with a backup camera only, most likely due to a sense of false security. However, the all of the drivers without technology hit the object.
This study shows that technology is improving safety, although there is still a long way to go. An estimated 292 people are killed and 18,000 injured each year by drivers backing up, usually young children and elderly in driveways and parking lots.