Kids and Car Safety is raising alarms after 10 children were killed in backover and frontover incidents in just 18 days, underscoring a persistent safety issue that often occurs in driveways and parking lots.
These tragedies happen when drivers, frequently parents or family members, strike children hidden in vehicle blind zones while moving forward or backing up. Most incidents take place off public roads in areas where children are presumed safe. Children age 5 and younger face the highest risk due to their small size and limited understanding of danger.
The recent deaths coincide with a shift toward larger vehicles on American roads. Approximately 80 percent of new vehicles sold in the United States are SUVs, pickups and other large models. These vehicles create expanded blind zones that make it harder for drivers to see small children in front, on the sides or behind the vehicle.
“Ten children gone in just eighteen days is heartbreaking and unacceptable,” said Amber Rollins, executive director of Kids and Car Safety. “Parents are doing what they’ve done for generations—backing out of driveways, pulling into parking spaces, moving vehicles a few feet—and in an instant their lives are changed forever. As vehicles continue to get larger and taller, the danger to children who cannot be seen around these vehicles continues to grow. You cannot avoid hitting something you cannot see.”
The incidents occurred between May 22 and June 8, 2026, in multiple states. They involved children ranging from toddlers to age 8. Specific cases included a 7-year-old in Auburn, Washington; a 2-year-old in New Smyrna Beach, Florida; a 6-year-old in Sisters, Oregon; a 14-month-old in Casselberry, Florida; a 1-year-old in Aumsville, Oregon; a 1-year-old in Pryor, Oklahoma; a 1-year-old in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; an 18-month-old in Opdyke, Illinois; a toddler in Phoenix, Arizona; and an 8-year-old in Des Moines, Iowa.
Research shows that many SUVs and pickup trucks have front blind zones extending several feet ahead. Young children can remain completely hidden from a driver’s view even when mirrors are used and careful checks are performed. Rearview cameras have reduced some backover incidents, but children continue to be struck both behind and in front of vehicles each week. Advocates say technology alone is insufficient and call for better vehicle design along with additional detection systems.
Kids and Car Safety offers several prevention steps for families. Parents should secure doors leading outside with childproof covers and alarms to prevent young children from leaving unnoticed. Drivers should walk completely around their vehicle before moving it and scan for children. They should always know where children are before getting behind the wheel. In parking lots and driveways, adults should carry young children, use strollers or hold hands. Direct supervision is essential whenever someone is arriving or leaving. Available vehicle safety technologies should be used but never relied upon exclusively. Aftermarket rearview cameras can be installed if a vehicle lacks one.
“Every one of these children had a future,” Rollins said. “These are not freak accidents. They are predictable, preventable events, and we have the knowledge and technology to stop them.”
The issue holds particular relevance for families in Southern Maryland, where driveways, rural roads and family vehicles are common. Larger trucks and SUVs popular in the region can increase blind zone risks for young children playing or moving near homes and parking areas. Local awareness of these prevention steps can help reduce similar tragedies in Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s counties.
