Facts About SUV Rollovers

SUV Rollovers

Sport utility vehicles are by now known to roll over on a frequent basis. Many of those crashes lead to serious injuries and the death of innocent people. While various accidents occurring on today’s roads can be attributed to careless and/or reckless driving, victims of SUV rollovers have reported that the vehicle “suddenly appeared as having a mind of its own” causing the driver to lose control and the vehicle to roll over. SUVs, such as the Ford Explorer, Toyota 4 Runner, Isuzu Rodeo and the Honda Passport have been involved in serious car accidents, causing severe injuries and death. Sport utility vehicles haven been in the news for a while and government tests indicate that most SUVs are the most unstable vehicle a consumer could buy. During the 1990’s the demand for these cars increased considerably and carmakers transformed it from an off-road vehicle to a family car. Roll bars that protect drivers and passengers in rollover situations were removed to generate sales, and by the year 2002 statistics showed that nearly 11,000 people died in rollover accidents.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a SUV rollover, click here for a free evaluation of your case.

Why SUVs easily roll over

One of the main reasons for the instability of those vehicles is the high center of gravity.
Most rollovers occur when the driver is forced to an emergency evasive action. The rapid change of steering into the opposite direction, like typical avoiding maneuvers, often throws the vehicle off center and forces it to roll over. From an engineer’s point of view, the stability of a vehicle is measured by the formula: T divided by 2h. T is the 'track width' (center of the right front tire to the center of the left front tire) and h is the vehicle's center of gravity. When this number is 1.2 or greater, the vehicle is unlikely to roll. However, the further the ratio dips below 1.2, the greater the likelihood of roll over. While police officers often blame the driver for careless driving, fault should be attributed to the manufacturer for negligent vehicle design.

Another leading cause for the fatality of SUV rollovers is the likelihood of roof crushes and ejection. During the rollover, the roof pillars, side roof rails and the front roof header often collapse, invading the occupant safety zone. As a result, neck fractures lead to brain damages and other fatal injuries.

What to do after a SUV rollover

• Vehicle and accident site inspection as soon after the accident as possible
• Preservation of the vehicle in its condition after the accident
• Having an experienced accident investigator to take accurate and complete statements of all occupants, law enforcers, EMS personal and witnesses
• Having an accident reconstruction engineer to determine how the accident occurred
• Having biomedical or biomechanical experts to determine what part of the accident or vehicle caused the plaintiffs injuries
• Interview the plaintiffs' treating medical physicians
• In catastrophic injuries, the resulting in paraplegia quadriplegia, or serious head injuries, hiring a life care plan consultant to evaluate the cost of medical care to the seriously injured plaintiff and estimate ALL medical and life care needs over this persons lifetime

SUV Rollover Crash Facts listed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

• 10,657 vehicles were involved in fatal rollovers
• Crashes in which a vehicle rolled over accounted for more than 50 percent of all single-vehicle crash deaths
• Rollover crashes are especially serious due to occurring head injuries
• Serious injuries in rollover crashes are 36 percent higher than non-rollover crashes
• Ejections account for 63 percent of all fatalities in rollover crashes and often result in head injuries
• More than 90 percent of passenger vehicle rollover crashes are single vehicle crashes
• 56 percent of those single vehicle crashes resulted in death, compared to only 11 percent in all multi-vehicle crashes
  

Hot Topics

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If you and/or a loved one, have been involved in a SUV rollover accident, it is not too late to consult an attorney to assist you professionally. Click here for a free evaluation of your case. We can help.