Vehicles Made After May 1, 2018 Will Require Rearview Cameras

(AP) - The U.S. Department of Transportation is issuing a final safety rule that requires rearview technology in many new vehicles. The move is an effort to reduce deaths and serious injuries caused by backup accidents.

The final rule issued Monday by the department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will require new vehicles under 10,000 pounds— including buses and trucks— to include rear visibility technology if they are manufactured on or after May 1, 2018. The rearview cameras expand the field of vision for drivers to include a 10-by-20-foot zone directly behind the vehicle.

Backup accidents cause an average of 210 deaths and 15,000 injuries a year, and victims often include children and the elderly, the government said.