Can Rear-View Cameras Make SUVs Safer?

SUVs have long been perceived by purchasers as providing added "safety," presumably by giving a commanding view through the windshield and some extra space between driver and metal shell. Of course, there are also a few downsides to driving a vehicle the size of a seafaring yacht.

One of them is that drivers of SUVs and light trucks, having limited rear visibility, have been backing over their own children in their driveways. These types of collisions are four times more likely to be fatal if the vehicle involved is of the extra-large type.

To address the problem, the U.S. DOT has decided to mandate rear-looking cameras in all automobiles [PDF]. Network blog Systemic Failure wonders whether this new regulation will give motorists the information they need to drive more carefully, or embolden them to the point of carelessness, further undermining safety:

Elsewhere on the Network today: Market Urbanism chastises the EPA for enforcing environmental regulations that undermine the value of residential compactness -- an important ingredient in sustainable communities. Community activists in Oakland prepare to take on the car-based orientation of a local McDonald's, reports Living in the O. And Discovering Urbanism outlines strategies for making sure transit oriented developments are affordable and make proper use of transit amenities.