On a per-mile basis, backing up may represent the most dangerous bit of driving you undertake every day. According to the most recent government statistics, vehicles going in reverse account for 182,000 crashes annually.

That doesn't seem like much--it represents less than 2 percent of the total on U.S. roads--until you consider that driving backward involves a miniscule fraction of your overall mileage. Besides, the official stats don't include those "Doh!" driveway moments--the times when people back into a pole or a garbage can, denting the back bumper or busting a taillight. Such minor incidents usually never make it to police reports.

Nevertheless, backing-up collisions take a shockingly high human toll. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, vehicles going in reverse kill more than 160 people and injure about 10,000 others in an average year. Experts suggest that elderly pedestrians and toddlers less than 5 years old are most at risk of being killed or injured by a vehicle backing up. In fact, one survey of hospital emergency admissions in Orange County, Calif., found that 57percent of all toddlers involved in pedestrian-vehicle collisions were struck by vehicles going in reverse. Separate studies indicate that most serious backing-up crashes involve sport-utility vehicles, pickups or vans--all vehicle types with generally poor rearward visibility.

Most fatal back-up collisions occur in driveways. But in parking lots, reverse is clearly the most dangerous gear of all. According to one recent study, vehicles backing up accounted for a whopping 59 percent of collisions that injured pedestrians. Now, with hordes of distracted shoppers hurrying to malls for the holidays, danger season is peaking in parking lots. Whether you're backing out of a parking space, your driveway or anywhere else, follow these "do's" and "don'ts" for doing it the smart way:

DO walk around your vehicle once before you get in. On many vehicles, high rear decks and headrests restrict visibility out the rear window. From the driver's seat, you can't see anything at your back bumper. Many serious backing accidents involve drivers who simply never see little kids directly behind them.

"Never just assume that you have a clear path in which to back up," says Barbara Ward of the Club's Traffic Safety Department and an instructor in its Driver Improvement Program. "Before you get in the car, check for children nearby and other objects directly behind you."

DON'T use your mirrors. Even the biggest rearview and outboard mirrors don't provide a field of view large enough with which to back up safely. They do little good when you're moving in reverse.

DO turn your head and shoulders in the direction you want to go. Under almost any circumstances, the rear window affords your best view to the rear.

"If you're going straight or turning to the right as you're backing up, turn your head and shoulders to the right," advises Ward. "Put your right arm on the back of the seat, and keep your left hand on top of the steering wheel." To turn left while in reverse, reverse the position. Twist your head and shoulders to the left, and keep your right hand at the top of the steering wheel. Choose a reference point several dozen feet away and steer toward it.

DON'T stick your head out the window. "You have more control of your vehicle when your head is inside it," says Ward. Besides, by leaning out the window, you run the risk of whacking your dome against the outboard mirror of an adjacent car, the corner of your garage or some other obstacle. Never open your door and peek to the rear while the vehicle is in motion.

DO give yourself a lift. The higher you sit, the more you can see out the back window. A low seating position enlarges the blind spot to the rear, because the rear deck and trunk screen objects near your back bumper.

"Use your left leg to press down on the floor and lift your body out of the seat a bit, "advises Dr.William E.Van Tassel, AAA's national director of driver training operations. "You may have to move your left foot closer, directly in front of the seat, to get enough leverage to jack up your body. You can also scrunch your shoulders up the seatback to help lift yourself."

DON'T touch the gas pedal unless absolutely necessary. With automatic transmissions, just putting the shifter into "R" and lifting your foot off the brake not only gets the vehicle moving but also usually provides sufficient speed. Unless you're backing up an incline, you almost never need to touch the accelerator. Moving slowly gives you plenty of time to monitor your position constantly and helps you keep the vehicle under control.

DO glance quickly and repeatedly to the front. Besides the rear, the front corner of the vehicle represents the greatest danger zone--specifically, the corner opposite the one in which you're turning. For example, if you're backing and turning left, the right front corner may strike the side of the car parked alongside you. "Take quick, repeated glances to the front to make sure you have clearance," says Ward.

DON'T drive backward unless you have to. The best way to avoid a collision while backing up is to avoid backing up entirely. In a parking lot without wheel-stops, for instance, two empty spaces nose-to-nose present the perfect opportunity to pull through the first and head in to the second. That eliminates the need to put the car in reverse to exit--but do this only where head-out parking is legal.

"A lot of towns in the area permit head-in parking only," note Ward, "and they clearly post signs saying so." Similarly, back into your driveway whenever you have a safe opportunity to avoid having to back out into traffic.

DO enlist help in a tight spot. When you find your car sandwiched between two massive SUVs that severely restrict your visibility, you may not be able to back out safely solo. In that case, ask your passenger or a friendly passerby to stand well behind your car and provide direction. You might have to swallow your pride by enlisting help. But which would you prefer--a slightly bruised ego or a dented fender?