Rollover Accidents in America

Millions of automobiles travel across American highways each and every day, and the numbers spike around holiday weekends such as Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. An increasing number of Americans have come to enjoy driving larger vehicles, even as gasoline prices seem to be driven higher and higher each week. The attraction to a large van or sport utility vehicle (SUV) is easy to see. SUVs and vans sit higher, allowing shorter (and all) drivers to have a better view of the road ahead. These larger vehicles allow drivers and passengers to carry large amounts of gear, groceries, etc., without the need to make second or third trips. The biggest reason many Americans are choosing SUVs is that their larger size allows drivers and passengers enjoy a sense of security that they will be better protected in an accident than in a sedan or economy-sized automobile. Are SUVs safer or does their height and weight actually make them more likely to be involved in an accident?

Fender benders are most definitely the most common automobile accident and in small accidents like these, a beefier bumper, a larger front, and a stronger braced exterior can be most helpful; SUVs and large vans win one here. Unfortunately however, the height and higher center of gravity exhibited by many of these SUVs make them very vulnerable to the most dangerous of all automobile accidents: the rollover. Over ten thousand Americans are killed each and every year as a result of rollover accidents. These often fatal accidents occur when a driver loses control of their vehicle, overcompensates, and then the inertia created by their forward momentum causes their vehicle to roll. As thick and beefy as an automobile might be on the underside, roofs are on the whole a very light and thin covering that is extremely vulnerable to puncture and collapse in a rollover accident. Researchers have developed mathematical equations to better predict the risk of particular vehicles to experience a rollover when an accident occurs. Mathematical calculations are helpful, but simulated, real-world driving situation testing allow for better predictions of what will happen to motorists in the event of an accident. It is the responsibility of automobile manufacturers to subject their latest models to test after test in order to better protect and inform consumers. If involved in a rollover accident, motorists will hopefully have taken the easiest step in order to better protect themselves by having their safety belts securely fastened. In a rollover situation, an unfastened belt can allow a passenger to be tossed around within the auto’s cabin or even worse, ejected from the automobile altogether. In the aftermath of an automobile accident, after health and safety is insured, it is inevitable that fault will be attributed to one or more parties involved. Whether liability lies with manufacturer or motorists, legal representation is always advantageous. Responsible motorists much see that they are protected before and after the accident.

Lloyd Robles heads Robles & Associates, an Austin, Texas based firm, specializing in personal injury law. Please visit www.roblesassociates.com