UNDATED – Every week in the U.S. at least 50 children are backed over because a driver could not see them. Backovers are not only predictable, they are also preventable, according to KidsAndCars.org.
On Monday, a 2-year-old Greenwood boy died after being struck by a pickup in a Greenwood mobile home park.
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Department says that 59-year-old Christopher L. White, of Greenwood, an employee of Winterbrook Mobile Home Community, was driving a company truck at about 4:39 p.m. Monday afternoon when the boy was hit.
Isaiah D. Bonds was pronounced dead at the scene by the Johnson County Coroner’s office.
According to the accident report, White came to a complete stop at an intersection and never saw the boy enter the intersection over the tall hood of the truck. After he started to pull away from the intersection, White told police he felt his truck hit something and stopped to see what it was. That’s when he discovered he had struck the boy.
KidsAndCars.org was the force behind the passage of a federal regulation requiring backup cameras on all new vehicles. A rearview camera can be installed on any vehicle. There are also systems available that are designed to be used with a trailer.
“Rearview cameras are critical because you cannot avoid hitting something or someone that you cannot see,” said Amber Rollins, Director of KidsAndCars.org. “One very important thing parents of young children can do is childproof their home so that their children cannot leave the house on their own by using childproof doorknob covers and/or door alarms. So many backover, front over and other tragedies can be prevented if the child cannot exit the home on their own.”
Tragically, children age 5 and under are the most at-risk of being backed over and in the majority of cases the driver is a direct relative or loved one. Below are additional resources for more information on backovers.
Backover Fact Sheet & Safety Tips: Click here
Charts, Stats, Graphics, PSAs: Click here
Back-up cameras required in all vehicles: Click here
