[usehand]

Modern cameras give a way better view of what's behind and to the side of the car than you can ever achieve through mirrors. There's really no comparison. Yes, if you're comparing to older, inferior camera systems mirrors might be better, but not the modern ones.

I say this as someone who learned to drive and drove for a long time with no cameras. People saying this are just usually just used to mirrors and never bothered to take the time to learn to switch to the cameras for backwards maneuvering, or their cars just are not equiped with the latest tech.

[switchbak]

Sorry I meant to say their mirrors - but rear view cams do not give much in the way of peripheral vision (yes, I have modern cars too). I've regularly had dumb people cross right into my rearward path even though I'm currently backing up, have the white lights on, etc.

What I meant was: people backing up just using their side/rear mirrors are scary. They don't have good spatial awareness of what's around them. A rear-view cam for them adds a whole lot of safety though.

[xboxnolifes]

And the camera's have been better for over a decade at thing point. I have to imagine people are just willfully antagonistic to them for some reason. How in god's name are you going to see a kid directly behind you, below your trunk height, with your mirrors?

[switchbak]

That was a typo/thinko on my part - I meant to say mirrors. I find it scary when people just look from side to side, perhaps looking in the rear-view mirror, but not ever turning their head. This happens WAY more than you'd expect it to.

Using the rear-view cam in this context is definitely a lot safer (esp for kids!), though you really should also look around as well, the side mirrors are more for driving, not parking-lot type situations, and have a really limited field of view.