JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Parking lots are packed with holiday shoppers. But those lots can become dangerous when someone walks behind your car.
AAA said a warning system in your car may not be getting the job done.
"I have this little TV, I'm looking also," said driver Sharon Martin.
But don't always believe what you see on your car TV. AAA is taking aim at these TVs, called rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA) systems, claiming they come with plenty of limitations.
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"The backup camera just shoots straight behind you. This is like having sonar to the sides," said AAA spokesperson Bill Bishop.
Bishop said the system uses sensors. When the car is reversing, these sensors look for changes on either side of the car.
"It only works if you are pulled straight in; where you are on an angle it wouldn't work, said Bishop.
According to AAA, in tests it conducted, pedestrians were not detected 60 percent of the time, motorcycles 48 percent, bicyclists 40 percent and passing vehicles 30 percent
"You can't rely on it totally," says Bishop. "You must turn physically to your blind spots and use it as a back-up."
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