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Daily Talker: Rearview Cameras To Be Required In New Cars

Starting in 2018, all new cars, SUV's minivans and light trucks sold in the United States will have to come with rearview cameras.

The rule issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is aimed at reducing the average of 210 deaths and 15,000 injuries each year caused by backup accidents. Victims are often children and the elderly. The NHTSA believes the cameras will save about 15 lives and prevent as many as 1,125 injuries each year.

The rule is required in a 2008 law that passed Congress with strong bipartisan support, but delays in researching and writing the rules delayed the mandate. Critics accused the government of being worried about adding another financial burden to the auto industry during the recession.

According to the automotive research firm Edmunds, 44 percent of 2012 models come with rearview camera systems as standard equipment, and 27 percent have them as options. The government estimates the systems will cost up to $142 per vehicle

What do you think of this new rule for automakers? Is it long overdue, or just another added expense to the cost of a car? Share your comments below, and watch for them on WBZ News in the Morning from 4:30 to 7:00 a.m.

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