According to theNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are over 11,000 fatal rollover accidents every year, accounting for more than half of all single-vehicle crash deaths. Rollovers are one of the most dangerous types of automobile accidents and are responsible for thirty percent of all deaths of passenger vehicle occupants.
While ninety percent of rollover accidents involve a single vehicle, it does not imply that the driver is necessarily responsible for the accident. Adverse weather conditions, flawed vehicle designs or improperly designed and maintained roadways can be contributing factors in rollover accidents.
Causes and Liability in Rollover Accidents
The underlying cause of nearly all rollover accidents is “tripping.” This happens when one of your vehicle’s tires strikes an object such as a curb, bump, or soft shoulder and disturbs the momentum of your automobile, causing it to pitch forward or sideways into a roll. Weather conditions and the actions of other motorists can increase the risk of rollover accidents. However, a few of the most common causes of rollover accidents include:
- Tire malfunction
- Hazardous roadways
- A vehicle’s high center of gravity
Under the correct circumstances, any vehicle can roll over. However, cars are less susceptible than vehicles with a higher profile such as pickups, vans, and SUVs. A vehicle’s center of gravity shifts to one side when it rounds a curve, thus taking a turn too quickly can easily cause an SUV to roll over. Many people purchase SUVs believing they will be safer in a crash, when in reality they are putting themselves at a greater risk of a rollover crash.
Liability for a rollover accident can be unclear and proving liability is sometimes complex. An experienced personal injury attorney can assist you if you suspect that a faulty automobile part or dangerous roadway might have been a contributing factor in your rollover accident.
Rollover Accident Injuries
Survivors of rollover accidents are often left with debilitating and/or permanent injuries. As compared to other types of vehicle crashes, being involved in a rollover increases your risk of serious injury by 36 percent. When SUVs roll over, their roofs cave in causing serious injuries, sometimes killing the occupants. Rollovers can cause gas leaks which lead to fires, and occupants trapped in the vehicle, if they survive the crash, can suffer severe burns and other injuries, including broken bones, cervical neck fractures, brain injuries, or back and spinal cord injuries, leaving them with full or partial paralysis.
