Rollover Accidents

Thousands of people die in rollover accidents every year in the United States and the majority of these accidents occur in a sport utility vehicle (SUV). The popularity of SUVs has grown tremendously over the last decade and these vehicles are now commonly used as family cars.

Since SUVs are no longer primarily used for driving off-road, many manufacturers have removed the roll bar that protects the vehicle occupants if the SUV rolls over. Rollover accidents are not as common as the other types of crashes, but when one does occur, it usually results in serious injuries or even death.

Causes of Rollover Accidents
There are many factors that can cause a rollover accident. According to Safercar.gov, rollover crashes reflect the interaction of the driver, road, vehicle and environmental factors. Driver behavior, road conditions and other outside conditions can contribute to a vehicle rolling over. SUVs are taller and narrower than other passenger cars, which gives these vehicles a higher sense of gravity and an increased risk of a single-vehicle crash. Safercar.gov has rollover ratings for SUVs on its website that consumers can review. Vehicles are assigned a 5-star safety rating based on an engineering analysis of each vehicle’s center of gravity and width between the front tires.

Most fatal rollover accidents are the result of the driver speeding. It is estimated that 40 percent of fatal rollover crashes involved excessive speeding and almost 75 percent of fatal rollovers occurred in a zone where the speed limit was 55 miles per hour or higher. Alcohol also plays a major factor in rollover crashes. Almost half of all fatal rollovers are associated with drunk driving.

Some studies have indicated that driver behavior is a major cause of rollover accidents. The majority of rollover crashes happen during routine driving maneuvers, such as driving straight or negotiating a curve. It has therefore been suggested that driver distraction, inattentiveness, speeding and impairment are among the most significant causes of serious rollovers. Usually a rollover is a single-vehicle crash, meaning no other vehicles were involved.

Injuries from Rollover Accidents
Rollover accidents can be violent and it is not uncommon for there to be fatal injuries. SUV occupants, who are not wearing seatbelts, are sometimes ejected from the vehicle during the rollover. Injuries resulting from rollover crashes may include:

• Broken bones
• Head injuries
• Brain injuries
• Spinal cord damage
• Lacerations
• Severe bruising
• Neck and back injuries

There are situations where a rollover accident was caused by negligence of another driver. If another driver swerves into the lane or causes some other type of unsafe condition, the rollover could be the result of the SUV driver trying to avoid a collision. Contact Vujasinovic & Beckcom P.L.L.C. if you or a loved one has been involved in a rollover crash caused by another driver. Call us today at (877) 724-7800 or (713) 224-7800 for a legal consultation.