An average of 50 children are injured in "back-over" accidents every week in the United States, and 60 percent of the incidents involve large-size vehicles, according to a Kansas-based national nonprofit organization.

Kids And Cars, dedicated to improving child safety around cars, lists 392 deaths from 1994-2004 in back-over incidents, primarily involving children under age 4.

Prior to the death of 2-year-old Teysia Aku in Punalu'u Tuesday, the organization had documented 12 fatalities in 2007, according to Janette E. Fennell, founder and president of Kids And Cars.

The 12 included 2-year-old Abygail Arquitola, a Big Island girl killed Feb. 10 in a hit-and-run accident while playing in the back of an Orchidland Subdivision residence in Puna.

At least two children a week are dying from injuries suffered in driveways, and in 70 percent of cases the driver is a parent or relative, adding further grief to the tragedy of the accident, Fennell said.

Measuring tests for blind zones of vehicles supports the argument that poor visibility — up to 60 feet in some cases — is a major contributing factor for the increase in back-over incidents, Fennell said.

According to a ConsumerReports study posted on the Kids And Cars Web site, vehicles such as pickups, minivans and sports utilities have larger blind spots than passenger cars. A blind spot is the area behind a vehicle that a person can't see from the driver's seat.

"Every vehicle has a blind spot, but we've found larger vehicles are over-represented," Fennell told The Advertiser.

What commonly occurs in back-over accidents is called the "bye-bye syndrome," she said.

"Someone may be leaving and getting one more kiss or hug," she said. "Unbeknownst to the driver getting behind the wheel, a child may be behind. The driver does everything correctly but physically can't see the child. You can't avoid hitting something you can't see."

Fennell's organization has introduced the Cameron Gulbransen Kids And Cars Safety Act, which would set a rear-visibility standard for all vehicles. The bill is now before the U.S. Senate's Commerce Committee, chaired by Hawai'i's Daniel K. Inouye.

"The government does not currently have any regulations about what you should be able to see behind a vehicle," Fennell said.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.