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Adam Goldberg’s got a bit of a ritual before he drives anywhere.

Like any driver, he buckles his seatbelt, checks his mirrors and puts his car into reverse. But before pressing the gas, Goldberg takes a good look at his back up camera, which gives him a view of the area directly behind his vehicle through a live image displayed in his rear view mirror.

That camera is an extra feature but a potential vehicle safety law could make it the new standard.

In December 2010, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released their proposal to require back up cameras in all new cars weighing up to 10,000 pounds by September 2014. To help with the transition, they would also require auto companies have cameras in at least 10% of their fleets by September 2012 and 40% by September 2013.

It’s part of a law called the Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act of 2007. It is named after a toddler killed in 2002 when his father accidentally backed over him in the family’s driveway.

As captain for the Northwest Fire District, Goldberg’s been at the scene of countless accidents and knows tragedy can strike in the most ordinary situations.

“If there are going to be rules created or new legislation that’s going to require vehicles to have back up cameras…knowing what I’ve seen and seeing a family that is suffering through a tragedy, I think everyone would understand that it’s a win-win,” Goldberg said.

Tragedy struck in Marana, Ariz., in September 2010 and today Bianca Grant, 15, still beams about her younger brother, Victor Ayon.

“I have three older brothers and having a little brother was the best. I’d take care of him as if he was my kid,” Grant said.

Victor’s life was cut short last fall when a visiting neighbor accidently backed over the boy in an SUV while leaving the driveway. Victor was just 18 months old.

Tests done by the NHTSA found the back up camera is the most effective technology for increasing a driver’s view of the area behind their car and fulfill the law’s requirement.

They estimate that annually almost 300 deaths and 18,000 injuries are from back-over crashes and 228 of those fatalities involve light vehicles, or cars weighing less than 10,000 pounds. Children under 5 and adults over 17 are at an increased risk for being backed over. The NHTSA found that back up cameras could reduce deaths each year by up to 38%.

For some the proposed camera law is expensive.

Some comments posted onto a federal website about the proposed rule are from people against paying more for a feature they didn’t ask for or feel is necessary.

The NHTSA estimated it would cost auto companies up to $2.5 billion to put back up cameras in their entire fleets. It’s an added cost that would likely be passed onto customers.

Members of Victor’s family are still coping with the loss of their brother and son. They said the back up camera is a good idea but that ultimately drivers need to use the feature responsibly. It’s a factor that both Goldberg and Yomy Diaz couldn’t agree with more.

Yomy Diaz is a coordinator with Safe Kids, a worldwide nonprofit dedicated to promoting child safety. As a mother herself she said money shouldn’t be a reason to oppose the rule.

“Once that child is gone they’re never going to be replaced. So yes it is expensive but how much more expensive is it for a child’s life? A child’s life is priceless,” Diaz said.

Jose Ucles, a representative for the NHTSA, said in an email that the organization plans on asking congress for more time to analyze public comments before issuing a final rule.

You can read the NHTSA's press release about the proposal here.