The Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act is a 2008 federal law that requires nearly every new passenger vehicle sold in the United States to include three child-safety features: a rearview camera, power window switches designed to resist accidental closing, and a brake-shift interlock that keeps a parked car from rolling away. Signed by President George W. Bush on February 29, 2008, the law (Public Law 110-189) targets the incidents that happen in driveways and parking lots, where small children are most vulnerable to a vehicle’s blind spots and controls.1GovInfo. Public Law 110-189 – Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act of 2007
Why the Law Was Written
The act is named for Cameron Gulbransen, a two-year-old from Long Island who died in October 2002 when his father, a pediatrician, backed over him in the family driveway. Dr. Greg Gulbransen had checked his mirrors and was moving slowly, but his son had crawled behind the vehicle in a spot no mirror could show.2Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. House Approves Schakowskys Cameron Gulbransen Transportation Safety Act NHTSA estimated backover incidents killed about 183 people a year nationally, and roughly 69 of those deaths were children under five.3National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Estimation of Backover Fatalities
Which Vehicles the Law Covers
The act applies to passenger cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, buses, and other motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less. That covers virtually every personal vehicle on the road. Motorcycles and trailers are specifically excluded, and heavier commercial trucks fall outside the act’s scope.1GovInfo. Public Law 110-189 – Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act of 2007 Larger vehicles are still subject to separate mirror rules but are not required to carry the camera or the other protections created here.4eCFR. Standard No 111 – Rear Visibility
The Rearview Camera Requirement
The most visible change the law produced sits on your dashboard. Under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 111, every new covered vehicle must show the driver a live image of the area directly behind the rear bumper whenever the transmission is shifted into reverse. The image has to appear within two seconds.4eCFR. Standard No 111 – Rear Visibility
The rule tests visibility with cylindrical objects placed at set distances behind the vehicle, roughly one foot, ten feet, and twenty feet back, and about five feet to either side of the centerline. That defines the zone a driver cannot see with mirrors alone. The camera also has to produce a usable image in a range of lighting conditions, from a dark garage to bright sun.4eCFR. Standard No 111 – Rear Visibility
Although the law passed in 2008, the final compliance deadline did not arrive until May 1, 2018. Every new light vehicle built on or after that date must include a rearview camera system.4eCFR. Standard No 111 – Rear Visibility
Power Window Switches and Auto-Reverse
Before the law, many power windows used rocker or toggle switches a child could activate just by leaning or kneeling on them. A child looking out a rear window could press the switch with a knee and close the glass on their own arm or neck without meaning to.5Federal Register. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards – Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 118 now requires a pull-to-close switch design. Pressing down opens the window. Closing it takes a deliberate upward pull. If a child steps or leans on the switch, the glass drops open instead of rising.5Federal Register. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards – Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems
A second layer of protection is electronic. When a covered vehicle’s window is closing and meets resistance, it has to stop and reverse before the squeezing force reaches 100 newtons, about 22 pounds.6eCFR. Standard No 118 – Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems A power window motor without that sensor can generate much more than that. The switch design makes accidental closing unlikely; the reversal system catches the cases where it happens anyway.
Brake-Shift Interlock
The third requirement addresses roll-away incidents. Under 49 CFR 571.114, every covered vehicle with an automatic transmission built after September 1, 2010, must have a brake-transmission shift interlock. The transmission stays locked in Park until the driver presses the brake pedal.7eCFR. 49 CFR 571.114 – Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention
The situation this prevents is familiar: a child left in a parked car for a moment bumps the gear selector and the vehicle drifts down the driveway. Because the shift now depends on the brake pedal, someone has to be in the driver’s seat and physically able to press it before the car can move.
The rule treats push-button ignitions the same as physical keys, and the interlock must work in any starting-system position that would otherwise let the transmission come out of Park.8eCFR. 49 CFR 571.114 – Standard No 114 Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention The standard also requires an audible warning when the driver’s door opens with the key still in the starting system, so a driver is less likely to walk away without securing the vehicle.7eCFR. 49 CFR 571.114 – Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention
Your Camera, Windows, or Interlock Stopped Working
If one of these systems fails, start with a recall check. Enter your 17-character Vehicle Identification Number in NHTSA’s lookup tool at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The VIN sits on the lower left of your windshield and on your registration card. The tool shows any open, unrepaired safety recalls on your specific vehicle.9National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Recalls
A few limits are worth knowing. The tool does not show recalls that have already been repaired, brand-new recalls where affected VINs have not all been identified, or recalls more than 15 years old unless the manufacturer has extended coverage. You can also use the SaferCar app or sign up for email alerts to be notified when a new recall affects your vehicle.9National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Recalls
When a recall is issued, the manufacturer must fix the defect at no charge. Federal law gives you a free repair, a replacement vehicle, or a refund of the purchase price minus depreciation, depending on what the manufacturer offers. The free-remedy requirement covers vehicles purchased within the 15 years before the recall notice.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 30120 – Remedies for Defects and Noncompliance
If there is no recall but you think your camera, windows, or interlock has a safety defect, you can file a complaint. Report it online at nhtsa.gov/recalls under “Report a Safety Problem,” or call the Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236. Complaints feed into NHTSA’s database, where staff watch for patterns that may open a formal investigation.11National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Motor Vehicle Safety Defects and Recalls – What Every Vehicle Owner Should Know
One more point worth knowing: federal law at 49 U.S.C. § 30122 makes it illegal for a dealer, rental company, or repair shop to knowingly disable any of these safety systems. If a mechanic disconnects your rearview camera during a repair, they have to restore it before returning the vehicle.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 30122 – Making Safety Devices and Elements Inoperative