Backup sensing systems

Q: Greg, as the mother of three active children, I had a scare last month when I nearly backed over one of them with my SUV. Seeing what is behind my vehicle is at times impossible. My SUV doesn’t have a factory-installed backup sensing system. Any suggestions? — Shirley R., Akron, Ohio.

A: Shirley, according to the Department of Transportation, 27 percent of accidents happen when the vehicle is in reverse, and they account for 400 deaths annually. Most involve young children.

Rostra’s Rear Obstacle Sensing System Pro alerts the driver when someone or something is in his or her backing path with a series of beeps that get louder as the object gets closer. The ROSS Pro also features an in-dash display with warning lights. It works at night and in poor weather conditions.

RearSight is Rostra’s latest product and uses a small camera installed at the back of the vehicle. An LCD color display is built into the rearview mirror and when the vehicle is put into reverse, it receives images from the camera.

Some dealerships will install these devices, or you can recruit a local shop to do the work.