Dodge Ram Backup Camera: What To Know
Photo by Nezar Bani Nasur on Unsplash
Backup cameras are a very important part of our driving society these days, especially in bigger trucks. They’re not only recommended by safety institutions, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has made it mandatory for automakers to include them on their vehicles as a standard. If you don’t have an OEM backup camera, read on about the Dodge Ram backup camera: what to know.
Perhaps you’re driving a vehicle that is a 2018 or older; there’s a good chance your vehicle was not equipped with a backup camera. You may have backup sensors, but the option for the camera was never ordered. Although there is no law forcing you to get one, there are plenty of great reasons to have one installed.
Dodge Ram Backup Camera: What to Know
If you have one installed, take the time and learn how to use it correctly. Just saying you have one doesn’t save lives. An estimated 210 fatalities a year happen from backup roll-over accidents. The number climbs to 15,000 when it comes to backup roll-over injuries, and out of those 15,000, most injuries are serious and life-changing.
What’s worse, children tend to be injured the most by these types of fatal accidents. NHTSA has found that children under five years of age account for 31-percent of backup roll-over deaths.
If you’re wondering just how much a backup camera can help, the insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that backup cameras reduce a person’s blind-spot area by about 90-percent. That’s a lot when compared to parking sensors that are only known to reduce a driver’s blind-spot area by 2 to 3 percent.
Unfortunately, you would think that the added safety element would drop costs for your insurance, but Michael Barry, a spokesman for the Insurance Information Institute, says it doesn’t have any bearing on insurance prices as of yet. He also claims that that could change in years to come if it can be proven that insurance claims have gone down due to the use of backup cameras.
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Other Benefits of Backup Cameras
Sure, the most important benefit to having a backup camera is to help make sure we keep kids safe and adults alike. But there are other benefits that you will find quite accommodating.
Parking with a Dodge Ram backup camera: what to know? Squeezing into a parking space is hard enough as it is, but backing into one with a big truck is just a pain. Backup cameras can no only make sure you can get into a space safely and straight, but they can also make the process a lot quicker.
The on dash camera will show you a guild path in color that can get you right in a parking space like a professional, even if you’re parallel parking. The guide path will start out as green and turn to yellow or orange and then red the closer you get to an obstruction. Between that and some type of warning beeps you get from the backup sensors, you should not have to hit anything.
You can also benefit from a backup camera if you’re lining up a trailer hitch to a trailer. Most cameras will give you a close-up on that hitch so you can line up your trailer without an in-person backup conductor. This is also a place where the color and audio sensors will help you get it right the first time.
Aftermarket Dodge Ram Backup Camera: What to Know and What to Look For
An aftermarket backup camera for your Dodge Ram should cost you around $500 dollars. Although here at CoPilot, we don’t recommend too many aftermarket upgrades to be done by a novice, but with this upgrade, we believe if you follow the directions and take your time, you can do it. Of course, there is always the option to have one installed professionally, and if that’s your route, more power to you.
Here are some things to look for in an aftermarket Dodge Ram backup camera: what to know:
Compatibility
Your new backup camera will have to be hooked up to your vehicle’s computer at some point. Make sure when you are buying a compatible backup camera system, it comes with the OBD Genie C-RVC programmer. It sounds complicated, but it’s not. But without the correct programmer, you will have to seek out professional help.
Universal Backup Cameras
If you own an older vehicle that doesn’t have an infotainment system, you will have to go with a universal backup camera. The best thing to tell you here is, you get what you pay for. Going cheap is not going to help you out. You also want to make sure that you understand not all cameras come with a monitor included.
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Hint
Buy a backup camera from an auto parts dealer. Amazon or Walmart probably aren’t going to carry the best or even semi-best camera setups.
Viewing Angle
According to NHTSA, a good viewing angle is 130-degrees, but KidsAndCars.org, which pushed for the NHTSA backup camera mandates, says that 180-degrees can give you a much better view with fewer blind spots.
Look for Guidance Lines
When shopping for an aftermarket backup camera, look for guidance lines in the projection of the monitor. You can’t go wrong with these features. Guidelines can help you park more efficiently and even make parking or backing up with a trailer that much easier.
Location of Backup Screen
There are three main locations your backup screen will most likely be located. The first location and most common is in your dashboard. This is a great place for them and usually offers a big screen with a better view. There is one downfall; you have to look down to see it. Some drivers might still be very used to looking over their shoulders or at least have their heads up in the air when backing up.
With a universal backup camera, you will probably put it on top of your dashboard. Which is fine, but make sure you don’t obstruct your forward-facing view. And for the last one, there are rearview mirror backup cameras. These are pretty nice because you can keep your head up when backing up; the only problem with them is your rearview won’t be that big.
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Small Price to Pay for the Safety of Everyone
Dodge Ram backup camera: what to know. Backup cameras are a small price to pay to help keep people and kids safe. But they can also keep your vehicle safe and possibly other people’s vehicles safe from damage. Calling the insurance company already sucks, but it’s even worse when you have to make a claim.
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