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Coroner seeks sensors on new cars.

  • 20-07-2017 12:51pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,175 ✭✭✭


    'I expected to find him at rear of house': Inquest into tragic death of Cillian (1) in driveway of his home

    Little boy was crushed under car by caller to his house.

    http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/i-expected-to-find-him-at-rear-of-house-inquest-into-tragic-death-of-cillian-1-in-driveway-of-his-home-35950771.html

    In a proactive move the coroner has said he will write to the Minister for Transport seeking new cars to be fitted with sensors.

    Any thoughts? Seems like a good idea but why stop at cars, buses trucks, vans, lorries etc too.

    He mentions success in the past with getting laws changes to have mirrors being fitted to trucks to allow truck drivers see the front of the truck, are they only on trucks (HGVs) or are they required on new buses too?


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 84,764 ✭✭✭✭Atlantic Dawn
    M


    Suggesting people have a quick walk around of their car when parked with areas that kids are present might be a more sensible approach. This is the first case like this I have heard, a tragic accident.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 592 ✭✭✭JC01


    It's a very good idea no doubt but I don't see what the Minister for Transport in Ireland can do about it?

    Heartbreaking story for all involved regardless.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,813 ✭✭✭Noveight


    Promoting an increased awareness of the dangers involving young kids and cars may be a better approach.

    It is a tragic story about Cillian, he looked like a lovely little boy.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,129 ✭✭✭kirving


    Reversing cameras being rolled out as mandatory in the US over the next few years. To be honest I'd prefer sensors given thanks some manufacturers are putting in the bare minimum device you can barely call a camera.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,175 ✭✭✭dense


    Suggesting people have a quick walk around of their car when parked with areas that kids are present might be a more sensible approach. This is the first case like this I have heard, a tragic accident.

    It's happened a couple of times unfortunately, in Ireland and the UK and there have been cases involving bin lorries too.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,175 ✭✭✭dense


    JC01 wrote: »
    It's a very good idea no doubt but I don't see what the Minister for Transport in Ireland can do about it?

    Heartbreaking story for all involved regardless.

    Any idea like this can be brought to the European Commission road transport guys.

    It's how safety initiatives start AFAIK.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 84,764 ✭✭✭✭Atlantic Dawn
    M


    Even if they were mandatory would they not need to be manually activated by the driver in order for them to work otherwise they will be on in traffic at all times. I've driven a few cars with them and all had to have it engaged in order for them to work. Can't see people turning them on each time they leave their house and then deactivating when they are up the road in traffic.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,942 ✭✭✭Danbo!


    Even if they were mandatory would they not need to be manually activated by the driver in order for them to work otherwise they will be on in traffic at all times. I've driven a few cars with them and all had to have it engaged in order for them to work. Can't see people turning them on each time they leave their house and then deactivating when they are up the road in traffic.

    Have them front and back in my car and never thought too much about bumper to bumper traffic. The display shows a top down view of the car with rings around it which light up when it detects something within about 4-5ft. AFAIR, it only starts beeping within the last 2 or 3 rings. You can turn if off manually, for example in a car wash, but it's never bothered me in traffic, I don't think you usually get quite close enough.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Suggesting people have a quick walk around of their car when parked with areas that kids are present might be a more sensible approach. This is the first case like this I have heard, a tragic accident.
    Suggesting that people change their behaviour rarely has any effect. You have to force them to do so either directly or by providing prompts that they can't ignore.

    This kind of incident is unfortunately incredibly common.

    A neighbour of my in-laws killed one of their children this way and then 30 years later one of their grandchildren was killed in the same way.

    Even if you take a walk around your car, children can appear at any stage after you get back in the car. Sensors at least, but perhaps rear cameras, should be mandatory equipment in new cars and an NCT fail if they're not working.

    Anyway, Coroners' recommendations are usually just that. They get ignored by politicians.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 37,316 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    Suggesting people have a quick walk around of their car when parked with areas that kids are present might be a more sensible approach. This is the first case like this I have heard, a tragic accident.
    Pointless. Kids move. In the time you take to open the door, and get inside, the kid will get in front of the car.

    Tragic, but to avoid these deaths you have to childproof your home. How did the child get from the back to the front, or outside the house? Had the child not been hit by the car, chances are that the kid may have made it outside the gates of the garden and onto the road.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 705 ✭✭✭landmarkjohn


    There are a couple a accidents like this every year. Always very sad as it is usually a parent or close relative or friend that drives over the child.

    My advice to my adult children is if possible to do the reversing piece of the manoeuvre when parking the car, you will have just scanned the area and when leaving you are driving forward and will have a better chance of seeing a toddler that can appear in seconds.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,789 ✭✭✭✭ScumLord


    The only issue I'd have with sensors and especially legally required sensors, is that when something goes wrong they could cost a fortune to repair. Manufacturers charge ridiculous prices for sensors to the point I've seen perfectly good vans scrapped because the replacement sensor is worth more than the van. Now that was a brake sensor so it's in a different league to a reversing sensor but if they're legally required you'll be forced to shell out whatever the manufacturer decides to charge.

    They'd have to be passive as well or a malfunction could cause all kinds of problems while driving in traffic.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,129 ✭✭✭kirving


    Active braking sensors are fitted on dozens of models of car, and work just fine in traffic. I think on the VW up! it's something like a €600 option which is very good value in my book.

    Ultra sonic sensors cost in the single digit euros to make, even with profit and fitting they're not too dear.

    What I do have an issue with is the mandatory phasing in of cameras by the US government on all cars. Great idea until you realise that ultra sonics are better than some of the terrible quality cameras being fitted by some manufacturers.

    I see why too, the camera is often a single core cable from the head unit to the rear bumper, which is a far easier install than 4+ sensors all having to be wired, color coded, drilled into the bumper, etc


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 73,523 ✭✭✭✭colm_mcm


    Thus is obviously a sensitive and emotive case, but this is a knee jerk reaction from the coroner.
    There are obvious things that people involved could and should have been doing when there's an 18 month old involved, we all know what they are.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,537 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    are cameras and/or sensors not standard on nearly every new car these days anyway?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,035 ✭✭✭goz83


    the_syco wrote: »
    Pointless. Kids move. In the time you take to open the door, and get inside, the kid will get in front of the car.

    Tragic, but to avoid these deaths you have to childproof your home. How did the child get from the back to the front, or outside the house? Had the child not been hit by the car, chances are that the kid may have made it outside the gates of the garden and onto the road.

    You can take every conceivable step and wrap everything up in cotton wool, but toddlers can be lightning quick and end up in mortal danger in seconds. My youngest is 1.5 years and it's amazing how elusive she is. Houdini comes to mind sometimes.
    are cameras and/or sensors not standard on nearly every new car these days anyway?

    While very common on the rear, they are not on the front. My 2012 Nissan Leaf Acenta has rear camera. My 2014 Nissan Leaf Tekna has all round cameras. I've often thought that the 360 degree camera should come on automatically when the car is started and until a speed of 15kph is reached, unless manually disabled after start-up. The front camera can be turned on when driving very slowly, which is great for safety imo.

    A contributing factor in the accident is that the friend was probably quite simply driving a vehicle that was too big for her. How often do people buy large people carriers when they have one, or two kids? These are the behicles that should have every safety extra available....including all round sensors.


    In any case, my heart goes out to all those affected. Such a tragic accident. God Bless the little angel.


  • Posts: 7,499 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    goz83 wrote: »
    A contributing factor in the accident is that the friend was probably quite simply driving a vehicle that was too big for her. How often do people buy large people carriers when they have one, or two kids?

    Thats a stupid statement
    People can drive what ever they want.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,175 ✭✭✭dense


    Thats a stupid statement
    People can drive what ever they want.

    I've always thought it a bit odd and dangerous that upon passing a test for a B licence you can immediately drive a LWB transit or similar.

    Re the car size in this case, if it was a small size vehicle there would be less safety checks done than someone pulling away in a large vehicle?


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