Reverse camera can't stop kid carnage

... and parking sensors in new cars, according to Kidsafe Australia.

Nineteen children in Queensland alone, double the number thought have been killed since 2005 and 1000 admitted to hospital, Kidsafe Queensland CEO Susan Teerds. Queensland is the only state to keep these statistics.

The figures are revealed on the same day as NRMA Insurance’s annual Insurance Reversing Visibility Index for new cars showed only 8 per cent of the 218 cars tested had a maximum five-star visibility rating.

Though this is up from 5 per cent last year, Ms Teerds says: "I'm not a fan of parking sensors. People tend to ignore them. We tell people not to rely on sensors or reversing cameras. Nothing substitutes for vigilance."

She says two children a week are still being run over in Queensland because parents don’t supervise their children or separate them from traffic with a secure fence and check behind their vehicle when reversing.

"These must be used in combination to be effective," she said. "In the past 10 years, 1000 children have been admitted to Queensland hospitals in low-speed run-over accidents. That doesn't include those treated in emergency departments or the 19 deaths in the past five years. That is double what we thought."

She said most low-speed run-overs occur at school carparks, shopping centres and home driveways with parents most often the driver.

The danger ever present danger was highlighted in July when former Wallaby Brendan Cannon accidentally ran over his son Sam with his SUV. The 17-month-old survived in what was hailed as a medical miracle.

Meanwhile NRMA Insurance spokesman Robert McDonald said manufacturers are adopting reversing cameras in more new vehicles while all Australian-built large family vehicles now include them as a standard or optional feature.

This year the Holden Commodore sedan joins Ford Falcon and Toyota Aurion/Camry with the cameras. However, Commodore and Falcon still rate zero stars in the visibility survey because vehicles with the cameras fitted were not available at the time of testing.

"Although we've seen an increase in the take-up of reversing camera technology, 13 per cent of cars tested still scored a zero rating," Mr McDonald said.

Mrs Teerds says it was a myth that four-wheel-drive vehicles are the most dangerous vehicle to pedestrians.

"They might be more lethal because they are bigger and heavier, but they are not doing the majority of the run overs," she says

The NRMA Insurance shows several sedans, hatches and small cars with zero ratings while several large SUVs rated maximum stars. The survey also found more than two-thirds of Queensland drivers admitted to having a near miss while reversing.

Mr McDonald said families who could not afford to upgrade their car could fit an aftermarket reversing camera.

The Reversing Visibility Index measures the visible area and distance across the rear of the vehicle and takes into account whether cameras and sensors have been installed. Results are rated on a scale of zero to five-stars.

Reversing Visibility Index - current models

FIVE STARS

BMW X5; Ford Territory; Holden Commodore wagon; Honda Legend; Kia Soul and Sorento; Lexus GS, IS250, IS F, LS460 and LX570; Mercedes-Benz E-Class (coupe and sedan); Mitsubishi ASX; Subaru Liberty Exiga; Toyota Kluger, Prado

0 STAR

Audi A5 (coupe and convertible), A3 convertible, S4 sedan; Citroen C5 sedan; Ford Falcon sedan; Holden Commodore sedan, Epica sedan, Cruze; Honda Accord, Accord Euro, Civic; Hyundai i30 hatch, ix35; Kia Cerato Koup, Cerato sedan; Mazda6 hatch, Mazda2 sedan, Mazda3 sedan; Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan; Mitsubishi Lancer hatch, Lancer sedan; Proton Persona sedan; Subaru Liberty Exiga, Impreza sedan; Suzuki Kizashi; Toyota Corolla sedan, Prado and RAV4.

Source: NRMA Insurance