Did you know that a driver’s blind spot can stretch as far as 15 metres when reversing?
Wyndham council has partnered with Kidsafe Victoria to warn drivers about the dangers of low speed run-over accidents, particularly in home driveways.
The two organisations are calling on drivers to adopt a “supervise, separate and see” approach to reduce the likelihood of children being run over by cars backing out of a driveway.
On average, seven children under the age of 14 are killed in Australia in these types of accidents each year, and 60 are seriously injured.
Most of these incidents occur in the driveway of the child’s own home, or in a friend or relative’s driveway, with a parent or loved one behind the wheel.
Kidsafe general manager Jason Chambers said even cars fitted with parking sensors and reversing cameras may not pick up a little one behind a car until is it too late.
Wyndham council family friendly portfolio holder Mia Shaw said children’s unpredictability placed them at increased risk around driveways.
“All cars have large blind spots, some more than 15 metres,” Cr Shaw said.
“Children’s small size, together with these large blind spots, means that children standing or stepping behind the vehicle often cannot be seen from the driver’s seat.”
