One of the best advancements in the automotive industry in relation to vehicle safety features is the Rear Safety Camera.

There have been too many accidents resulting in fatalities that could have been avoided with this device. All too common are the accidents of a vehicle reversing down the driveway and not seeing a child run out behind the vehicle.

Four-wheel drives and the smaller coupes can often make it more difficult to see what is actually behind the vehicle when reversing. Combining this with the height of a small child below the rear window and it is almost impossible to see them if they are behind the vehicle.

Quite often parents will make sure that they can see the children at the front of the vehicle to do a “head count” to eliminate this problem but accidents often occur when the driver is rushing and are under time pressures.

The implementation of this device in vehicles not only reduces the risk of these accidents happening but also helps the driver become more accurate when parking.

Hence reducing the risks of car park accidents and damage to all vehicles around the parking vehicle. One of the largest insurance claims on motor vehicles is the wheel rim. Gutter scraping tends to happen more frequently especially when the car parks don’t allow enough room for the vehicle to turn into and out of a car park. More often than not though it does come down to the driver and their ability to perceive distances. A rear view camera can assist the driver when reverse parking to reduce the risk of scraping the rims on the gutter.

It is always recommended to not rely just on the reverse camera when parking but to predominately check through the rear windows.

A wide range of vehicle manufacturers are putting this feature as standard into their latest models although it is possible to buy the reverse cameras as an aftermarket part and install to an older model.

It is always recommended to have a mechanic or auto electrician install the device. There are many car owners who would feel comfortable installing them if they are mechanically minded but being that it is connected to the wiring of the vehicle, if unsure, best to leave it to those who are in the know.

It may cost a lot more to fix the attempt of installation rather than paying the expert in the first place.

For those who are installing the device themselves there are a lot of ‘How To” videos on YouTube that show how others have been able to install them successfully. The information is valuable and can save both time and money.

The types of cameras that is available as aftermarket products do vary. There is the portable screen that can be attached to the dash and an overlay of your rear view mirror. Be aware that the products do vary depending on the model of vehicle. There is no such thing as a “One size fits all”. Double check what you are buying is going to suit the car you are installing it to.

There are devices on the market that have more than just the feature of the reverse camera. 

They also include a GPS and Telephone Bluetooth system on the same device as the camera.

Reverse sensors are often packaged with the aftermarket reverse cameras to be installed at the same time. The combination of all these devices takes the challenge out of reverse parking in the forever size decreasing parallel car parks.

Tips to remember:

–       Check that the device is suited to your vehicle

–       There are multiple options available in the reverse cameras e.g. GPS, Telephone Bluetooth.