Reversing accidents can be costly due to damage to equipment, premises, the vehicle itself and worse case injury to pedestrians or cyclists.
Before reversing, routinely go through this checklist:
1. Ensure you check the way is clear of any obstacles, including pedestrians.
2. Check all your mirrors — both side-view and rearview.
3. Turn and look over both shoulders, to ensure there’s nothing in the mirrors’ blind spots.
4. If your car has rear-obstacle detection technology, use it. But don’t solely depend on it.
5. Double check again.
6. Put your car into reverse.
7. Reverse slowly.
While car technology has advanced and can help detect nearby objects, it’s still important to take care.
The best prevention strategy is due diligence before reversing.
