It's here. It's finally here! Spring (arguably the best season) is here. The weather in New York is warm enough for me to ride my bike to work and the city is very much alive. The parks and playgrounds are full of children (and adults!) enjoying the great weather. Of course, more sun means more people outside. Check out these Spring safety tips while you enjoy the weather.

Spring Safety

Let's start with the basics. Wear your seat belt, don't drink and drive, drive defensively, put your cell phone away, and get plenty of rest before getting behind the wheel. You knew that already. It's good to...

Does your vehicle need some spring cleaning? This infographic, provided by Motor Bazze, highlights DIY car cleaning tips using baking soda.

Car Cleaning Tips

The NTEA is an annual trade show and is North America's largest work truck event. Safety is obviously an important aspect of work trucks and RVS was there displaying backup cameras, backup sensors, Mobile DVR's and new safety technology for work trucks. Check out the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjXk3bBlmDs&feature=youtu.be

2017 NTEA Work Truck Show

Rear View Safety debuted new products at the show, including The RVS-718-FLML G-Series Rear View Frameless Mirror Monitor With 4.3" Mirrorlink Display. This touchscreen system is equipped with a 4.3" display placed to the left of...

Vehicle safety regulations have changed. Below is a demonstration from the 2017 NTEA Work Truck Show of compliance to the FMVSS 111 law. The new law states a necessary view behind a vehicle. This standard must be in effect starting May 2018 and will require all vehicles under 10,000 pounds to adhere to a certain field of view behind the vehicle. In vehicles with limited rear vision, installation of a backup camera which provides the necessary rear view will be mandatory.

FMVSS 111 Compliance

All Rear View Safety cameras comply with FMVSS 111. The video, a test to see if a vehicle conforms to...

I really do love my job. It's so much fun to be involved with technological innovation. I've been very intrigued by our RVS-77535 360° Surround View Camera System since we introduced it last year. The innovative system provides a complete view around your vehicle, eliminating all blind spots. Install four cameras around your vehicle and the system stitches the views together to create a bird's eye view and a 360° view of everything surrounding your vehicle. The RVS-77535 comes with multiple trigger options and also records all camera feeds!

360° Surround View Camera System Demo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m9f0babWeI...

I honestly can't believe today is March 1st. It seems like yesterday was January 1st. We've had a busy year so far at Rear View Safety, preparing for spring with new systems and innovations. 2017 is our 10 year anniversary (very proud!), so we've also been working on some surprises. My lips are sealed.

WiFi Hitch Camera

To celebrate the start of spring (almost) we've announced our RVS-83112-Wifi WiFi Hitch Camera as March's Product of the Month. Easily connect your trailers and get on the road faster. The compact magnetic hitch camera connects via WiFi to your mobile device allowing you to...

How many bridges do you cross every day? According to a new report from the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) just over 9% of bridges nationwide are "structurally deficient."

The organization have created an interactive map showing info on each state and which bridges are deficient or sufficient. You can also toggle to a congressional district map. The map also shows proposed bridge work, how many daily crossings a bridge has and other interesting information. How does your state rank?

Don't change your spring road trip route just yet. A "Structurally deficient" grade...

While walking to work today I saw a cyclist hit a hidden patch of ice and fall onto the street. I quickly ran over to see if he was ok, and luckily he seemed alright. A bit shaken, but alright. He didn’t have a helmet on, but caught himself on his hands before his head hit the cement. Thankfully no cars were coming. He was riding on a pretty busy street. It got me thinking about safety laws.

“I should be wearing a helmet, but I left it at work and I’m not going very far. I’ll slow down,” he assured me before zipping down Van Brunt St.

Of course, he should wear a helmet. Everyone should wear a helmet...

It's pretty well known that the hardest part of any installation is running cabling through the vehicle. Using a wireless system literally cuts our install time in half. We offer a variety of wireless systems to fit any need.

Go Wireless

The RVS-091406 Wireless Backup Camera System With Cigarette Lighter Adaptor was rated as the number one backup camera by TopTenReviews for 2016. The 4.3” monitor connects straight to the cigarette lighter and also comes with a suction cup for easy mounting. The digital wireless connection guarantees no interference for a whopping 70ft. The camera has an ultra-wide...

Seems like a sign of the times. Crash test dummies are getting a redesign after being introduced over 50 years ago. Based on the advice of University of Michigan trauma experts, engineers at Humanetics have created two new dummy prototypes to reflect today's drivers.

The male prototype is 106 pounds heavier than the original model. Also obese, the female is based on a 70-year-old woman. The new designs have a higher body mass index than previous models. ICAM will be able to 3D print the prototypes once they're finished.

Highlighting Dangers of Obesity With Crash Test Dummies

The models are supposed...

Today on my morning commute, I had the opportunity to help someone. I noticed a man in a motorized wheelchair having some trouble getting his chair onto the train. Another commuter and I asked if he wanted assistance and we lifted his wheels and helped him onto the train. What kind of access do people with disabilities to public transportation? While the Americans With Disabilities Act mandates access to public transportation, it has its shortcomings, especially in certain parts of the country. A recent study indicates that self-driving cars are a viable solution for Americans with disabilities...

I have weather alerts set up for 3 places. New York, where I live, Topeka, where my parents live, and the Bay Area, where 2 of brothers live with their families.

It's been an interesting week. The Bay Area is officially not in a drought after a drought monitor issued Thursday. Powerful storms in the area have caused at least 40% of the state to enter a drought.

Even though it's still winter, yesterday in New York it was around 70°. It was so amazing. I wore a t-shirt in January. Then there's Jupiter.

Winter Storm Jupiter

Winter storm Jupiter is a huge multi-day ice storm that is expected to cut...

SB 1072, commonly called the "Paul Lee School Bus Safety Law",  went into effect at the start of 2017. The bill was drafted in response to the 2015 tragic death of 19-year-old Hun Joon "Paul" Lee. Paul Lee was a student with severe autism, who died after being locked inside a parked school bus.

The law states that all school buses, car motor vehicles, and youth buses must be outfitted with special alert systems. An audible alarm starts when the required technology generates an audible alarm when the ignition is turned off. The driver must walk to the rear of the bus to turn off the alarm. This...

I don't fly that often. Maybe once a year to visit home. I usually pick a super early flight and just sleep the entire way. No problem. That's why I was initially confused when I read a headline that the government may soon allow Wi-Fi connected phone calls on flights. Why would you need to make a call on an airplane? I've used Wi-Fi on a plane, but never lamented that I can't make a call while in the air. I ride the bus nearly every day, and it's very annoying when someone is on the phone. Someone is always on the phone.

After reading the story, the reason became obvious. It's for work. If you...

I wake up pretty early. Depending on when I go to bed (thanks a lot, Netflix) I usually get out of bed between 5 AM and 6 AM, sometimes even earlier. Every morning I check the weather by looking out my window. I live across the street from a very busy coffee shop and a police prescient. A lot of trucks and buses are stored in my neighborhood. No matter what time I look out the window, the coffee shop is full of drivers, fueling up for their morning rides. It's still full with another group when I start walking to my bus around 7:30. It's important to step back and say thank you.

So Many To Thank...

2016 has been the year we talk a lot about autonomous vehicles. A lot has happened this year. Google created Waymo, a self-driving vehicle company under the Alphabet umbrella. MIT designed a mini city for testing, and GM is testing on public roads in Michigan. Self-driving Ubers (with a driver for emergencies) are being tested in Pittsburgh as I type this.

Playing By The Rules

A few days ago Uber expanded this testing to San Francisco, but with some changes. The cars used in California are EX90 SUVS, the result of a collaboration with Volvo, who does not have a permit for self-driving cars from...

Drowsy Driving is a popular subject on this blog. This is due to the fact that we want to inform as many people as possible about this dangerous problem. It's a very important issue, especially today. Congress recently suspended some safety regulations that could increase driver fatigue.

Drowsy Driving

Drowsy driving was responsible for 72,000 crashes, 44,000 injuries and 800 deaths in 2013, according to the NHTSA. This number is underestimated because there is no way to confirm what an accident is caused by.

According to an Australian study, being awake for 18 hours produced an impairment...

Rear View Safety is all about innovation.

We are very happy to announce the release of our new  MobileMule™ 5500 series. Packed with new features, including 4G capability, the 5500 series can also record onto a hard disk drive (sold separately) expandable to 2TB. Compatible with both Apple and Android apps, the 5500 series can connect to high-resolution cameras and monitors. The hard drive can be mirrored by SD backup. The future of MobileMule™ technology is here. The 5500 Mobile Mule series will take the place of the 4400 series, which is being phased out of production.

DVR's are perfect for...

Note: This post is from December, 7th, 2016

Exciting news today at Rear View Safety! Our first webinar is today. We are always looking for new ways to communicate and help our customers. Today’s webinar is a discussion on some of our new products, a few holiday gift ideas, and maybe even some surprises. The RVS-FDH120 Full HD Backup Camera System is one of my favorite new items. Who doesn’t love full HD? This heavy duty system also includes ultra-wide 120° viewing angle and 8 infra-red lights for perfect night vision.

The RVS-7700 Backup Camera System with GPS Navigation (3 Channel) is another...