Thousands of youngsters are injured or killed in “frontover accidents” in which a slow-moving vehicle could not spot them. A frontover (the opposite of a backover) accident typically occurs in driveways or parking lots. A government measure has been presented that calls for technology in all vehicles to prevent frontover collisions.
According to the US Department of Transportation (DOT), more than 500 individuals are killed in frontover collisions yearly. Children are especially vulnerable to being killed or wounded. Michael Brooks, Acting Executive Director of the Center for Auto Safety said that “There’s a large zone in front of vehicles where you can’t see something that’s the height of a child – even the height of two or three children lined up.”
According to Consumer Reports, increasingly popular pickup trucks and huge SUVs have gotten bigger and bigger over the last few decades. And their expanding size has created a major issue: a large blind zone in front of the grille where children and other pedestrians are invisible to the driver.
Preventing Frontover Accidents
While people are more familiar with “backover” accidents, more than twice as many youngsters have been killed or injured in accidents when automobiles were driving forward than backward. Between 2016 and 2020, an estimated 744 children were killed in this manner, usually in driveways and parking lots. The majority of cases involved a child hit by an SUV or a pickup truck.
The numbers have increased in recent years, and advocates fear they will continue to rise as Americans increasingly opt for large automobiles with vast front blind zones over smaller cars with better visibility.
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) recently introduced the Standards to Prevent (STOP) Frontovers Act, which would require new automobiles to be outfitted with technology that improves drivers’ ability to see what is directly in front of them.
Auto safety advocates commended Senator Blumenthal for his leadership on this issue. “His action today brings necessary attention to these types of incidents, and the STOP Frontovers Act offers a vital and commonsense solution to the growing problem of frontover accidents,” said consumer safety organization Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.
Frontover Accident
Frontover accidents, like most car accidents, are ultimately the result of driver error. No matter how much we rely on technology to improve safety, the ultimate responsibility rests with the operator of the vehicle. If you or a loved one has been injured due to negligence, contact an Orlando car accident attorney at the Martinez Manglardi personal injury law firm. Call 866-730-3508 for a free consultation. Convenient locations throughout Central Florida.
