It’s been called a public health issue that often doesn’t register on America’s radar screen, but a front-page story in Sunday’s Chicago Tribune underscored the problem of “backover” vehicular deaths of small children. Romanucci & Blandin believes the issue is finally getting the attention it deserves.

Backover deaths and injuries occur when a driver is backing out of the driveway and can’t see the kids in the rearview mirror. These accidents spike in the summer when kids are out of school; the vehicle is, more often than not, an SUV. They’re called “non-traffic” fatalities because they involve vehicles not on the road. The government has not been regularly required to keep statistics on non-traffic incidents. No data, no problem, right?

But that may change. A new federal law mandates that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration track deaths and injuries on public roads. Illinois State Representative Jan Schakowsky co-sponsored the bill.

In addition to starting a database, the NHTSA must now amend safety rules to expand the required field of view for vehicles. Sensor-based parking aids don’t detect small children. Cameras that show an image of what is behind the car may be more effective.