According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), in 2008, there were 31 deaths per million in single vehicle crashes and a huge percentage of the fatalities is due to a rollover accident. More than 3/4 of fatal rollovers accidents are single-vehicle crashes and a number of them happen in Los Angeles. Rollover crashes account of 35 percent of all passenger vehicle occupant deaths and as much as 56 percent are single vehicle occupant crash deaths.
A rollover is a kind of vehicular accident wherein the vehicle tips onto its side or roof during a crash. While a rollover can happen because of a collision with another vehicle, single rollover accidents can be caused by:
- Excessive cornering speed
- Tripping over a fixed object
- Traversing a critical slope
- Maneuvering over uneven terrain
Although rollovers occur in less than 3 percent of all motor vehicle crashes, it accounts for more than a third of passenger vehicle occupant deaths. The most recent statistics from the IIHS show that in 2008, 9,023 people died in rollover accidents. But as much as 7,504 these passenger vehicle occupants died in single-vehicle rollover crashes.
Rollover accidents are particularly fatal and cause severe injuries compared to other crashes because occupants face the possibility of being ejected from the vehicle especially if they’re not wearing a seat belt.
A large reason why vehicles rollover can be traced to its design. While all vehicles are susceptible to rollover especially in collisions, those with the higher the center of mass, more sensitive steering, and higher speed are more prone to rollover. That is why SUVs and pick-up trucks are notorious for rollover accidents because they have a higher center of gravity.
To prevent fatal rollover accidents and given the continuing popularity of SUVs, automakers are creating more stable vehicle designs. Aside from placing Electronic Stability Control in the vehicle which would help prevent sideways skidding and loss of control to avoid rollovers, the static stability factor (SSF) in resisting rollovers is also computed.
Aside from providing SSF rating by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it also provides ratings on the performance of restraint systems and structural components which are crucial in rollover accidents.
But every now and then, some car manufacturers slip under the radar of the NHTSA despite being a rollover hazard because of its dangerous design or manufacturing defect. In case you were involved in a rollover accident or you lost a family or loved one because of it, you should hire a personal injury lawyer who specializes in rollover accidents or product liability to file a claim for damages.
All motor vehicles are susceptible to rollover crashes, which is why it is the duty of the car manufacturer to ensure that their vehicles on the market can be resistant to those kinds of crashes.
