Parents argue for back-up camera law

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - The Department of Transportation held hearings Wednesday on a heartbreaking problem. About 50 children a week are hit by cars that are backing up, often times by their own parents. There's a proposal that would make back up camera's standard in all vehicles. On Wednesday, victims parents testified in support of this law that has the potential to save hundreds of children a year.

16 month old Alec Nelson lost his life in his family's driveway.

"By the time I got to Alec I already knew he was gone." said his mother, Adriann.

Alec had been backed over by an SUV. His grandfather was behind the wheel and had no idea the little boy was behind the vehicle.

"My father told me he wakes up every morning thinking about what happened." said Adriann.

This year the problem has led to seventeen deaths so far. Alec's father, Bill, appeared before the Department of Transportation on Wednesday to argue for a new law that would require rear view cameras in all vehicles. He says it's a law that would have saved his son.

"There are a lot of great memories of him. We think about what he would be doing today." said Bill

60 percent of back over cases involve a larger vehicle like a van, SUV or truck. Minivans reportedly have an average blind zone of up to 28 feet, SUV'S 39 feet and for trucks it can be a whopping 50 feet.

"People don't understand how large that blind zone is." said Janette Fennel, the President of Kids and Cars. Which is a Non-profit safety organization which tracks back over accidents, she says most victims are toddlers between one and two years old.

"Children are quick and they are fast but we are not going to re-engineer the kids, we'll have to re-engineer the vehicles so we can see if they get in harm's way and prevent these tragedies from happening." said Fennel

Back up cameras are currently standard on 204 car models for 2011, most of those on high end vehicles. But after-market back up cameras can be had for as little as $100. A cost most proponents of this bill believe won't hurt the bottom line of car manufacturers