Hooniverse Asks- Are Backup Cameras a Good Idea?

SpiderCam-700x525 This time we mean it! That’s what the Feds here in the U.S. are saying concerning the upcoming automotive backup camera mandate. That requirement is supposed to go into effect with the 2015 model year, but it has to date been postponed four times. Some safety regulations make a lot of sense – seat belts, and steering columns that won’t impale you being notable examples – while others can be real head scratchers. I’ve always wondered if the stats ever really proved that the center high-mounted brake light that was required starting in 1985 has made that much difference as far as accidents are concerned. Likely they do. Usually when the government oversteps its bounds in the name of car safety – say like with the 85 MPH speedo reg – saner heads eventually prevail. That brings us to the question of backup cameras, which as we all know are quite expensive bits of kit and could conceivably end up causing more harm than good, training people to rely on a dash-mounted TV screen rather than checking the view out the windows. Still, according to some government statistic somewhere these back-end video devices do save lives. Have you had much experience with these things, and if so, do you find them valuable? Or, do you think this is yet another nanny that’s going to do little more than dull drivers’ senses to what’s really going on around them? What’s your take, are backup cameras really a good idea? Image source: Imgur

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