New Australian Design Rule for reversing aids

 

The Australian Government is examining the case for regulating the fitment of Reversing aids in light, medium and heavy vehicles through the Australian Design Rules (ADRs).

This new ADR would be ADR 108/00. The vehicles affected fall under ADR sub-category MA, MB, MC, MD, ME, NA, NB and NC.

Reversing collisions involving a vehicle and a pedestrian or a vulnerable road user such as a cyclist are generally rare occurrences with low number of cases reported each year. However, the prevalence of such collisions tends to be underestimated as the majority of these collisions and injuries sustained are often outside the scope of official road injury record systems which are focused on public roads.

Pedestrians form the largest single road user group and have no protection against vehicle impacts. Reversing collisions often affect small children and the elderly who may be less aware of their surroundings and are particularly vulnerable to sustaining fatal or severe injuries when hit. Often such incidences create a particularly distressing situation for the parties involved, as well as the broader community due to the age and vulnerability of the victims and the driver is often a close family member of the victim.

It is proposed that the ADR would be developed that adopts the requirements for reversing aids contained in the recent United Nations (UN) Regulation No. 158 – Uniform provisions concerning the approval of devices for reversing motion and motor vehicles with regard to the driver’s awareness of vulnerable road users behind vehicles.

The Australian Design Rules (ADRs) are national standards for vehicle safety, anti-theft and emissions. The ADRs are generally performance based and cover issues such as occupant protection, structures, lighting, noise, engine exhaust emissions, braking and a range of miscellaneous items.

The current standards, the Third Edition ADRs, are administered by the Australian Government under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989.

Many of the ADRs are inspired by the United Nations (UN) Regulations for vehicles.