Two tragedies that occurred on Long Island more than a decade ago helped lead to a new national safety law.

Starting May 1, any car sold in the United States will be required to have a backup camera.

Bill and Adriann Nelson, of Dix Hills, and Dr. Greg Gulbransen, of Oyster Bay, helped make this standard a reality.

The Nelsons lost their 16-month-old son when a family member accidentally ran over him while backing out of their driveway. Gulbransen accidentally ran over his 2-year-old son in his driveway.

The Nelsons and Gulbransen lobbied in Washington to mandate backup cameras on cars.

"We fought tooth and nail against the auto industry. They really wanted to keep these rearview cameras as expensive options that they could incorporate into their navigation systems," says Gulbransen.

While it's a bittersweet time for Bill Nelson, he says that it's nice to know that people will be saved because of the legislation and that it will bring his family some satisfaction.

Statistics show that there are about 50 backup car accidents every week involving children in the U.S.