Extended Abstract
Fildes1 et al.
Proceedings of the 2017 Australasian Road Safety Conference
10
th
– 12
th
October, Perth, Australia
The Extent of Backover Collisions Internationally
Brian Fildes
a
, Michael Keall
b
, Stuart Newstead
a
a
Monash University Accident Research Centre,
b
University of Otago, New Zealand
Abstract
This study reports good consistency in international comparisons of the number and severity of
backover crashes. More than half occurred to pedestrians aged 60 years and older. Children less than
9 years comprised 5% of these crashes with a similar percent aged 10 to 19 years. A significant 41%
reduction in real-world backover crashes was found for Australian vehicles with reversing cameras.
A range of driver and pedestrian manoeuvres were found and 11 crash scenarios identified in
backover collisions. Mandating the fitment of reversing cameras in all vehicles and enhancements
would likely enhance the safety of pedestrians in reversing manoeuvres.
Introduction
Reports from the USA have highlighted the extent and severity of backover in this country (NHTSA
2008). Of particular interest is how widespread these collisions are across other international regions
(including from the States New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Victoria in Australia
as well as New Zealand. The study also examined what can be done to help prevent these injurious
events.
Method
An analysis was undertaken using data from several regions to gauge the extent of these collisions,
their crash characteristics, and potential solutions. National data were provided from UK, Germany,
Europe (CARE database) and Australasia to address this question. In addition, several in-depth and
police cases were made available to examine the extent and crash causation circumstances.
Results
The findings (Fildes et al, 2016) revealed consistency in the national statistics across the regions
analysed. Most reversing crashes occurred in low speed urban areas, involving predominantly
passenger cars and light utilities. Sport Utility Vehicle involvement was higher in USA and Australia,
possibly because a high proportion of these vehicle types are registered in these two countries.
Most pedestrians injured (50%) were aged 60 years or older in all countries apart from the USA and
were predominantly female in most, except for Europe. Fatal outcomes were associated with 7.5% of
collisions while 90% involved severe injury outcomes in these data.
Figure 1. Drivers age by percent involvement (Left) and Pedestrian’s age by percent involvement
(Right)
Extended Abstract
Fildes1 et al.
Proceedings of the 2017 Australasian Road Safety Conference
10
th
– 12
th
October, Perth, Australia
Fatal backover collisions involving children aged 0-9 years comprised only 7% of these police-
reported crashes, many reported in drive-ways (Fildes et al, 2014). However, the degree of under-
reporting of these collisions, in an off-road environment could not be assessed in this analysis because
of the lack of suitable data. Findings by Austin (2008) suggested that this could be substantial for all
crashes and ages.
Crash Scenarios
An analysis of an extended set of police causal assessments data in the UK revealed interesting trends.
The top six of these included the driver (25.3%) and/or pedestrian (16.7%) failed to look properly,
pedestrian failed to judge vehicle’s path or speed (8.2%), driver failed to see pedestrian in vehicle
blind spot (6.9%), driver and/or pedestrian was careless, reckless or in a hurry (6.5%), and the driver
made a poor turn or manoeuvre (6.3%).
Table 1: The 20 most common contributory factors coded from backover crashes (UK data, 2010-
2012)
Contributory factor (up to 6 per crash)
Frequency
Driver failed to look properly
3956
Pedestrian failed to look properly
2619
Pedestrian failed to judge vehicle’s path or speed
1288
Vehicle blind spot
1083
Driver and/or pedestrian was careless, reckless or in a hurry
1021
Poor turn or maneuver
989
Pedestrian careless, reckless or in a hurry
491
Failed to judge other person’s path or speed
364
Pedestrian dangerous action in carriageway
307
Pedestrian crossing road masked by stationary or parked vehicle
302
Driver loss of control
300
Pedestrian impaired by alcohol
275
Aggressive driving
271
Pedestrian disability or illness, mental or physical
229
Stationary or parked vehicle(s)
150
Impaired by alcohol
143
Nervous, uncertain or panic
143
Pedestrian wearing dark clothing at night
140
Too close to cyclist, horse rider or pedestrian
120
Illegal turn or direction of travel
93
In addition, the in-depth crash data of backover collisions made available by BASt (Germany) and
DfT (UK) revealed eleven typical crash scenarios in backover collisions. These findings are useful in
pin-pointing areas where technology may be required to help prevent these collisions.
Interventions
Vehicles fitted with reversing cameras were 41% less involved in backover collisions (Keall et al,
2017). While the rate for Sports and Utility Vehicles (SUVs) appeared to be greater, this finding was
not statistically significant due to relatively small numbers.
Enhancements in reversing technologies (radar units and more sensitive bumper-mounted sensors
with full 250deg vision) have the potential to further reduce these harmful reversing collisions (Fildes
et al, 2016). Estimates of the costs of fitting these technologies were quite expensive and unlikely to
be cost effective.
Extended Abstract
Fildes1 et al.
Proceedings of the 2017 Australasian Road Safety Conference
10
th
– 12
th
October, Perth, Australia
Scenario 1
Scenario 2
Scenario 3
Scenario 4
Car reversing from a Parking spot with
pedestrian approaching from behind
Car attempting to parallel park with a
pedestrian crossing through the spot
Car reversing around a corner with a
pedestrian about to cross the road
Car reversing around a corner with a
pedestrian already crossing the road
Scenario 5
Scenario 6
Scenario 7
Scenario 8
Car backing out of a side street, lane or
driveway with a pedestrian crossing behind
Car reversing to leave parking spot as
pedestrian enters the pedestrian crossing
Car backing into a laneway as a
pedestrians crosses the lane
Car reversing down a narrow street or lane
with pedestrian walking towards the vehicle
Scenario 9
Scenario 10
Scenario 11
Car reversing when a pedestrian walks out
from behind a parked car
Car reversing out of a parking spot while a
pedestrian is crossing the road behind
Car reversing into a driveway with
pedestrians in the driveway
Figure 2 The 11 most frequent crash scenarios from the total sample of 26 in-depth crashes
provided
Conclusions
This is the first study found that examined the full extent of the backover problem in several
international regions and has confirmed findings from a previous study of backover crashes in the
USA. While the number of crashes were relatively small (even allowing for under-reporting),
nevertheless, associated injury severity was high and young children were involved. Several potential
solutions were identified to address this unnecessary and severe trauma. In particular, mandating the
fitment of reversing cameras in all vehicles and enhancements would likely enhance the safety of
pedestrians in reversing manoeuvres.
Acknowledgements
The authors are especially grateful to Margaret Prendergast and Bernard Carlon of NSW Transport for
sponsorship of this study and to Robert Hogan of the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure and
Regional Development in initiating this research. We are also grateful to the international partners for
providing their data on reversing collisions to pedestrians in the UK (Bernie Frost), Germany (Claus Pastor
and Bernd Lorenz), and the European Commission (Maria-Teresa Sanz-Villegas). While the US data were
downloaded for the NHTSA website, our thanks for earlier advice by Christopher Bonanti, David Hines,
Markus Price and Jonathon Roth and Jesse Chang at NHTSA’s Headquarters.
References
L
Extended Abstract
Fildes1 et al.
Proceedings of the 2017 Australasian Road Safety Conference
10
th
– 12
th
October, Perth, Australia
Austin R. (2008) ”Fatalities and Injuries in Motor Vehicle Backing Crashes: Report to Congress,
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Fildes B., Newstead S., Keall., Budd L. “Camera effectiveness and backover collisions with
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Clayton, Australia, April, 2014.
Fildes BN., Keall M., Newstead S. “Evaluating camera effectiveness and backover collisions”,
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Regional Development, Monash University Accident Research Centre, Clayton, Victoria,
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