Why Rollover Accidents Are So Deadly

Rollover accidents happen all the time on the roads and highways of Tennessee. The fact is that some car and truck accidents can be extremely violent and cause a vehicle to flip over and over, causing serious personal injuries to the occupants, even causing death. Rollover crashes can happen to any type of vehicle, but there are certain cars, SUVs, trucks, and ATVs where you see these types of wrecks most often. A significant amount of safety engineering goes into the design and manufacture of vehicles in order to protect the occupants for this very type of accident, involving “crash cages” and roll bars built inside vehicles. But despite the effort of vehicle manufacturers, serious injuries and fatalities still happen in rollover accidents. Robert Bates & Associates want people to understand the dangers of rollover accidents.

Why Do Rollovers Happen and What Vehicles Are Mostly Involved?

Rollovers can happen for many reasons, notwithstanding the type of vehicle you are travelling in. Due to speed, the impact from another vehicle, striking some other barrier like another car or guardrail or embankment, or turning too quickly– all of these things can potentially cause a rollover. Here are some basic causes for rollover accidents, but understand that a rollover can occur in almost all types of collisions:

● Traveling at a high rate of speed

● Uneven roadways where one side the vehicle is lifted higher than the other side

● Driving on wet and slick roads which can cause the vehicle to hydroplane or make it difficult for the driver to keep control of the vehicle

● Any type of driving where the driver loses control of the vehicle due to drowsiness, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or other reasons.

Often, it is the imbalance that is already designed into the vehicle that makes it prone to rollovers. These types of accidents can happen more often when the vehicle has a higher center of gravity. Most of the vehicles are SUVs and trucks. Here are a list of several types of vehicles that have a history of rollovers:

● Chevrolet Colorado and Tahoe

● Cadillac Escalade

● GMC Yukon

● Jeep Renegade and Wrangler Unlimited

● Ford F-250

● Ram 2500

● Toyota 4Runner

● Nissan NV3500

Common Injuries With Rollover Accidents

Due to the excessive violence that can happen to people inside a vehicle that has rolled over several times, usually there are severe injuries that occur. People can be thrown inside the interior of the vehicle or even ejected from the vehicle, causing serious injuries and death. Also, there is the risk of the roof of the vehicle being crushed down upon the heads and necks of the occupants. Here are some common injuries we’ve seen due to rollover wrecks:

● Fatalities: Approximately 7,000 per year die in automobile accidents involving rollover accidents.

● Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) such as concussions, fractured skulls, swelling of the brain, bleeding of the brain.

● Spinal Cord Injuries: Many people suffer damage to their spinal cord causing significant injuries like being paralyzed such as quadriplegia or paraplegia.

● Fractured and broken bones

● Whiplash type injuries of the neck causing herniated discs, muscle and ligament pulls, tears, and damage.

How to Protect Yourself From Rollover Accidents

Common sense and routine maintenance can greatly increase your odds of avoiding a rollover and walking away from one if it happens. There are standard things to do to avoid rollover accidents just like avoiding any other kind of vehicle collision. Here are some survival tips:

● If possible, buy newer vehicles. Choose a vehicle with the most up-to-date safety systems. Especially important are electronic stability control and side-curtain airbags.

● Wear safety belts. Belts help keep you in the seat so you are not tossed around in a rollover crash. About half of rollover fatalities occur when people are partly or completely ejected from the vehicle. Don’t think it’s good to be “thrown clear.” In all kinds of crashes, nearly three-quarters of people ejected from a vehicle are killed.

● Check the tires. Make sure all the tires are in good shape and properly inflated to the pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Check the inflation pressure at least once a month. Replacement tires should be similar to the vehicle’s original set.

● Watch the load. Overloading any vehicle, particularly SUVs and pickups, decreases its stability. The worst practice is to place heavy loads on the roof. Try to stay well within the load ratings specified by the manufacturer. (They should be noted in your owner’s manual.) Try to place the heaviest cargo low on the floor and as far from the tailgate and as close to the center of the vehicle as possible.

● Watch your speed. Speed makes vehicles roll over more severely, and it also makes more demands on a driver’s attention and skill. About 40 percent of fatal rollovers involve excessive speed, the government reports.

● Beware on country roads. Almost three-quarters of fatal rollovers occur in rural areas on roads where the speed limit is 55 mph or more. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, those roads tended to be undivided highways without barriers.

If you or a family has been involved in a serious rollover crash and has suffered personal injuries due to the negligence of another driver, you are entitled to be compensated for your injuries. Robert Bates & Associates is here to help you win the fair and full compensation you deserve.

Robert BatesRobert is a Kingsport trial lawyer who handles car, truck and motorcycle wreck cases across the Tri-Cities. Every client gets his cell number.