Appendix IV – Backing Deaths Identified in NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) in Years 2000, 2001

Table XXI: 2000, 2001 Backing Deaths Identified in FARS

#

Age(s)

Vehicle Type

Location

Description

Found in LexisNexis

2000

1

2, 10 (injured)

SUV

trailer park

playing children run over by truck backing up in trailer park - driver did not see children

Yes

2

16 mos.

car

driveway

driver in driveway to let off passenger and child, passenger put child down, child ran to back of vehicle, driver stuck child as driver was backing up

Yes

3

2

van

driveway

2-year-old died after was struck by a neighbor's van as it was pulling out of a driveway

Yes

4

22 mos.

small school bus

driveway

child was killed when run over by small school bus backing out of townhouse driveway, 3-yr-old sibling, & another student had just boarded bus, parent didn't know toddler had wandered away, no charges have been filed against the bus driver

Yes

5

22 mos.

car

driveway

22-month-old killed when run over, died at hospital after struck by car backing out of neighbor's driveway, was with parent and grandparent when ran down sidewalk, driver did not see the child behind vehicle, will not be charged

Yes

6

22 mos.

pickup

driveway

child was struck and killed by a pickup backing out of a driveway near child’s home

Yes

7

17 mos.

unclear

parking lot

driver who backed over and killed a 17-month-old has been indicted by a state grand jury on felony charges of leaving the scene of an accident involving death.-victim was walking across the parking lot with parent

Yes

8

7

tow truck

street

youth was pedaling bicycle behind the tow truck in evening on a private street at a mobile-home park  when the truckdriver stopped and backed over youth

Yes

9

20 mos.

van

alley

toddler was killed by a hit-and-run driver - van backed over the child, who was playing in an alley - van was ditched about a block away.

Yes

10

47

dump truck

unclear

two dump trucks owned by same company, parked with rears facing each other, one backed up, struck driver of the other who was standing behind other truck

 

11

75

station wagon

driveway

driver backing out of driveway, did not see victim, heard bump, pulled forward, victim on ground conscious, but incoherent, victim died 10 days later from head injury sustain in accident

 

12

55

van

driveway

driver backing out of driveway, began to drive down street, wasn't driving right, got out and checked twice, ultimately found victim under the van - was admitted to hospital in critical condition and later died

 

13

67

pickup

apparently street

driver stopped, heard someone call, attempted to back up too fast, lost control, drove up on sidewalk hitting pedestrian and brick wall

 

14

84,
80 (injured)

pickup

sidewalk

two pedestrians were walking on sidewalk when driver backed out of driveway and struck them

 

15

76

van

driveway

driver backed vehicle out of driveway, didn't realize parent was out of the house (had gone to a mailbox), struck parent who was behind vehicle at time of accident

 

16

87

pickup

driveway

driver backed out of driveway and struck victim who was blind and using a cane

 

17

79

pickup

parking lot

driver backed up in public parking lot, pedestrian entered path of vehicle and was struck and run over

 

18

74

light truck

unclear

truck was stopped, started to back up, struck bicyclist who came into the path of the vehicle backing up

 

19

74

car

driveway

driver was backing out of driveway, didn't see pedestrian on sidewalk, felt pressure on the car, pulled forward, saw victim on the ground

 

20

mos. 32

pickup

driveway

parent was backing out of driveway when child tried to get parent’s attention by beating on side of passenger side of truck running toward rear of truck, got to rear of truck and fell down at which time passenger rear tire ran over victim

 

21

81

SUV

parking lot/street

driver backed out of parking lot into street striking victim who was crossing the street

 

22

91

car

driveway

victim was helping driver back out of driveway, driver's door was open struck victim, victim died 12 days later

 

23

36

car

street

vehicle, originally in parked position, backed up and struck victim who was crossing street, victim died approximately three weeks later

 

24

71

??

unclear

vehicle backed up over victim

 

25

2

pickup

driveway

driver was turning around in driveway, backed up looking over right shoulder, child ran into path of truck from the left was struck by vehicle backing up

 

26

31

dump truck

unclear

no written description provided-drawing indicates truck backed up, did not realize struck pedestrian until dragging victim 61 feet

 

27

90

van

apparently street

driver was backing vehicle, victim apparently stepped off curb into path of vehicle, victim was hard of hearing may not have heard beeper, van was owned by a business

 

28

6

recycling truck

apparently street

truck was backing up, with beeper and rear back-up camera working (driver didn't see anything in monitor), child on bicycle, apparently looking back at friend, rode into the back of the truck, truck then ran over child

 

29

3

pickup

driveway

backing out of driveway struck victim, then pulled forward not knowing what had been hit

 

30

89

pickup

alley

truck was backing out of alley, struck pedestrian

 

31

7

garbage truck

street

backing from one street to another, truck struck bicyclist

 

32

2

SUV

driveway

victim struck as vehicle was backing out of driveway

 

33

1

car

driveway

driver backing out of driveway, child playing next door ran into path of car, fell to ground near rear left wheel of vehicle, which ran over child

 

34

63

van

driveway

van backing out of the driveway struck victim who was apparently in the road

 

35

4, 20(injured)

station wagon

unclear

PAR on this is very sketchy, it is clear that one vehicle backed up, pinning more than one victim between it and another vehicle-seems there were three victims, one died

 

36

86

car

unclear

driver backed up, did not see victim or car victim was standing next to, victim was getting into vehicle, was pinched between door and interior of vehicle

 

37

24

van

unclear

victim got out of passenger side of parked vehicle, was struck by van backing up-van left the scene

 

38

70

pickup

unclear

vehicle struck victim while snowplowing

 

39

40, 47 (injured)

car

apparently street

driver was backing up from gas station after dropping off friend, says she did not see pedestrians, hit them, dragged one across the street

 

40

52

van

driveway

no written description - drawing indicates vehicle was backing up out of a driveway and struck pedestrian in street

 

41

85

SUV

street

vehicle backing up struck victim, who from diagram apparently entered the street from between two parked cars-driver said did not see victim, did not know where victim came from

 

42

70

truck

parking lot

driver was plowing parking lot, was backing up, looking both ways at traffic, struck pedestrian who was walking on the sidewalk, didn't see pedestrian

 

43

43

station wagon

parking space (street)

vehicle struck pedestrian while backing into parking space, pedestrian had stepped into the street

 

44

55

vehicle

street

vehicle was backing southbound in the northbound lane, driver felt bump or thud, continued to back up, saw pedestrian in front of vehicle

 

45

50

van

intersection
(street)

driver was backing up vehicle near intersection, felt thump, stopped car, got out saw pedestrian

 

46

89

car

driveway

driver backing out of driveway, saw pedestrian in side mirror, was stopped, driver continued to back out believing pedestrian had stopped to allow driver to back out

 

47

85

car

driveway

driver backing out of driveway, struck victim who was walking on the sidewalk

 

48

mos. 30

SUV

driveway

driver backing out of driveway, did not see victim

 

49

66

SUV

street

driver backed up on street, struck victim who had been gardening and still had gardening blower on his back, victim died a week after the accident

 

50

82

car

street

car backed down street across another street, struck victim who was in the intersection

 

51

mos. 18

car

complicated scenario

vehicle was stopped by side of road, partly blocking driveway, 2nd vehicle backed out of driveway, apparently didn't look, struck 1st vehicle - child had been put outside of 1st vehicle between car and open door - 2nd vehicle struck door causing injuries to child

 

52

82

pickup

driveway

driver looked behind him prior to backing straight out of the driveway between church and rectory, did not see anything behind him, but two dogs were bouncing around in back (pickup w/camper shell), did not realize struck someone

 

53

68

garbage truck

roadway
(street)

after finishing a collection, driver backed into roadway, struck victim-truck had rear camera system that was not turned on and when turned on had dirt over lens so would have been ineffective anyway, also back-up alarm was too faint to be heard

 

54

mos. 16

car

driveway

driver backing out of driveway, checked both side mirrors and rear view mirrors, didn't see anything, struck child who had been walking on sidewalk with her older sibling

 

55

91

car

driveway

driver slowly backing out of driveway, looked both ways, proceeded, heard thump

 

56

87

pickup

sidewalk

driver backed out of parking stall to enter road, as vehicle crossed sidewalk, people yelled that it had hit something, pulled back into parking spot-result - backed over victim then ran over victim again

 

57

mos. 20

car

alley

car was attempting to back into an alley, driver did not see child and thought  had run over a toy

 

2001

1

6

truck, probably garbage

alley

child on bike was struck by truck backing out of alleyway

Yes

2

3

pickup

probably parking lot

3-yr-old was run over and killed yesterday by a pickup that was backing out of a parking space in the townhouse development where child’s family lives

Yes

3

16 mos.

car

driveway

died after parent  ran over child while backing out of driveway

Yes

4

84, 80(injured)

SUV

driveway

victim was walking with neighbor around neighborhood, killed when driver backing out of driveway apparently didn't see victim and ran over victim

Yes

5

54

garbage truck

alley

disposal truck backed over a transient, who died at the scene from massive head injuries in an alley

Yes

6

39

pickup

median

pickup truck on interstate transporting furniture covered by plastic, but not tied down, sofa came off truck, driver pulled to median, ran back to pull sofa to median, victim got out of truck concerned for driver, another occupant of truck moved into driver seat, backed up truck, plastic blew up, blocked view, struck victim who originally seemed alright, but died

 

7

mos. 33

pickup

driveway??

driver, possibly backing out of driveway, struck child on bicycle, child got stuck under truck, was dragged for some distance before driver realized, removed child from under vehicle and fled

 

8

67

pickup

street

driver parked in front of residence, with a passenger in the vehicle, waiting to pick up spouse, backed up in anticipating of continuing down road, heard noise, perhaps scream, got out of vehicle, saw victim lying on the ground

 

9

6

vehicle

street

parent was sweeping street with the vehicle, backed up to make another pass, struck child who was behind him on a bicycle

 

10

77

vehicle

unclear

driver backed up in attempt to flee from fight, lost control, struck pedestrian-charged w/DUI for refusing to take test

 

11

4

van

street

parent drove vehicle out of driveway, was attempting to turn around in street in front of house, backed vehicle up and unknowingly backed over child

 

12

adult

pickup

HOV lane

driver and victim were both workers on HOV lanes of an interstate highway - driver backed up vehicle in HOV lane to notify police of accident, struck victim, then went forward ran over victim again

 

13

3

pickup

driveway

parent backed out of driveway, turned vehicle, did not see child approach vehicle from passenger side, vehicle struck child in area of front passenger side wheel and drove over child

 

14

84

garbage truck

street

truck backing down street struck victim who was crossing the street (no crosswalk)

 

15

80

SUV

driveway

driver backed at idle speed out of driveway, had looked before started, heard thump, got out of car, noticed victim in driveway bleeding - victim had gone to mailbox.

 

16

80

SUV

driveway

driver backed out of driveway at high rate of speed, did not see victim who was on a mower mowing grass

 

17

82

car

curb of road
(street)

driver backed up along curb of road (from diagram) and struck pedestrian, was told by people what happened, then went forward for about 50 feet, dragging victim under the car

 

18

71

car

driveway

driver was backing out of driveway, looked to rear on the sidewalk and street was clear, as backed up car was having trouble backing, driver got out of car, saw pedestrian laying under trunk area of car.

 

19

79

garbage truck

unclear

truck driver was backing up, checking mirrors, was watching the right side because of parked vehicle there, said never saw victim, but felt two bumps, immediately stopped and got out to find victim lying on pavement.

 

20

77

car

street

driver had completed turn from shopping plaza exit to one-way street, then backed up and struck victim who was crossing the street to the shopping plaza - victim died 21 days later

 

21

80

car

street

car pulled to side of street to drop off victim and groceries, passenger walked to rear of car after getting groceries out of car, driver asked victim if was okay, victim said was and it was okay to go, driver put car in reverse hit victim

 

22

17

car

street

vehicle backed out of parking lot onto one way street very fast, victim, on bicycle, was traveling on shoulder in opposite direction of one way, was struck by vehicle which also struck another vehicle, which in turn struck another

 

23

7

pickup

driveway

truck, backing out of driveway, struck victim

 

24

37

van

driveway

vehicle was backing out of driveway, driver said "stopped and looked both ways twice," felt bump, stopped, got out, saw victim, who had headphones on

 

25

72

??

unclear

only information in report is a drawing, which makes it clear it was a backing incident, but no other details of the incident were in the report because pages were missing.

 

26

63

??

driveway

no written description received, drawing indicates vehicle backed out of driveway, struck pedestrian

 

27

69

truck

driveway

driver backed out of driveway to allow another car to pull out of driveway, heard thump as  drove forward to return to driveway, had apparently hit victim while backing up as pattern of victim's pants was found on bumper of vehicle

 

28

89

??

driveway

driver was backing out of driveway when victim walked into  path, driver stopped and avoided contact, but victim fell hitting head

 

29

83

van

street

driver backed up, apparently some distance (through an intersection) and struck victim who was crossing the street

 

30

68

car

roadway
(street)

driver was waiting for victim to give  a ride, driver saw victim walking toward the vehicle, then lost sight of victim, driver began to back up when  felt vehicle hit a bump, it is not known whether or not victim fell to roadway before accident

 

31

90

SUV

driveway

driver backed out of driveway into passing pedestrian

 

32

43

garbage truck

street

truck was backing up in residential street, victim initially walking in street and "then suddenly darted behind" truck, which ran over victim-driver said "looked at both mirrors and the camera in the back" saw nobody

 

33

20

pickup

unclear

victim had gotten out of passenger side of parked truck, was headed away from truck - driver backed up, struck victim then left the scene

 

34

89

SUV

driveway

driver backed out of driveway, didn't see victim, thinks  may have been behind a tree on the same side of the street from which driver was backing

 

35

1

car

driveway

driver ran over victim once as backed out of driveway, again upon reentering driveway-driver said  thought  had gone over the curb

 

36

mos. 17, 4, 21 - 4 and 21 year olds injured

vehicle

driveway

vehicle backing out of driveway, in dark, street lights were flickering on and off, hit three pedestrians, youngest of whom was seriously injured and died

 

37

mos. 22

car

driveway

backing out of driveway, looked, saw adult clear driveway, struck child

 

38

47

SUV

unclear

backing up to enter vacant parking space, heard a thump, struck pedestrian

 

39

67

van

street

vehicle backing up on street struck pedestrian

 

40

4, 3 other victims, age unknown - injured

vehicle

apparently street

vehicle was backing up, 2nd vehicle double parked with no vehicle between it and curb, 1st vehicle struck driver door of 2nd pinning person getting into, then struck three pedestrians who were attempting to enter 2nd vehicle and were crossing street

 

41

50

pickup

road shoulder

guy pulled in front of disabled car on shoulder, offered to help, started to back up, struck victim, driver fled scene, victim had blood alcohol content of .08

 

42

mos. 18

SUV

driveway

parent was backing vehicle out of driveway when did not notice that child had moved from the front area of the vehicle to the rear driver's side area of the vehicle, he struck child - end point of the incident was the sidewalk area
 

43

mos. 13

van

driveway

victim & 6-yr old cousin were playing in closed garage, parent opened garage door, went to van parked in street, started to back van into driveway, didn't realize victim had followed parent out of garage, left front wheel ran over victim.

 

44

95

car

driveway

driver backing out of driveway struck victim who was apparently on sidewalk, report suggests victim was dragged 59 feet before vehicle stopped

 

45

70

car

intersection

(street)

occurred at intersection, victim & friend were standing on SE corner, started to cross, struck by driver's side front quarter panel of vehicle as driver attempted to back vehicle into the intersection