by Automotive Rhythms

Article by Erica Grundin

Rollover accidents are one of most deadly motor vehicle accidents there are. In a rollover accident involving a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), the vehicle often turns over on its side or roof. This usually happens when the vehicle is turning too sharply while moving at excessive speeds. Although any vehicle can rollover, SUVs and pickup trucks, which have a high center of gravity, are the most likely to rollover.

SUVs Most Likely to Roll Over

Rollovers entered the public eye about a decade ago when the Ford Motor Company recalled many Ford Explorers equipped with Bridgestone/Firestone tires. In a number of high-profile cases, these tires failed at high rates of speed and resulted in SUV rollover accidents.

For years, engineers and safety experts have agreed that the most effective way to make SUVs less prone to rolling over is to lower their center of gravity and widen their track width (distance between wheels). Yet, these design changes are expensive and SUV manufacturers have been slow to incorporate these modifications.

Today, pressure from the marketplace has caused this safety concern to sink in. Large, truck-style SUVs are not selling like the used to, especially with today’s rising fuel prices. This has left manufacturers looking for new marketing tactics, which has encouraged a safer and more fuel efficient “crossover” vehicle to develop. These smaller, slimmer SUVs have a lower center of gravity and will hopefully be involved in fewer rollover accidents.

SUV Models with Poor Rollover Accident History

Certain models of SUVs have been shown to rollover more often than others. Research reveals that the Ford Explorer has the highest risk of rollover accidents. Other models with a significant rollover accident history include the:

* Jeep CJ
* Jeep Wrangler
* Jeep Cherokee
* Mercury Mountaineer
* GMC Yukon
* Chevy Tahoe

Single Vehicle Rollovers

Rollover crashes are usually single-vehicle automobile accidents, accounting for 75 percent of all rollover crashes.

A single-vehicle rollover often happens when a driver has lost traction and begins to slide sideways, especially in snowy, wet or icy conditions. While it is sliding, the SUV may “trip” and begin a rollover. Common factors that cause a vehicle to trip include:

* Soft-road shoulders
* Uneven ground
* Roadside objects like a curb or guardrail
* Objects or debris in the road
* Hazards like oil spills or weather that makes the road slick

Safety precautions

Many SUVs are made with safety mechanisms, which are designed to decrease your risk of injury should your vehicle rollover. Some of these include:

* Electronic Stability Control: This feature uses automatic computer-controlled braking of each wheel separately, to help drivers retain control if you begin to slip or skid.

* Seat Belts: Studies show that wearing your seat belt can reduce your risk of death in a rollover accident by 75 percent.

* Rollover Air Bags: Besides protecting drivers and passengers in a side-impact crash, some vehicles have installed side-impact head airbags called “curtains,” that aim to protect riders from severe injury and ejection during a rollover crash.

Common injuries

If you are involved in an SUV rollover accident, the outcome can be grim. Common injuries that result from rollovers include:

* Spinal cord injuries
* Paralysis, paraplegia and quadriplegia
* Loss of limbs
* Fractures
* Disfigurement
* Internal organ damage
* Traumatic brain injuries

The injuries caused by rollover accidents can also have a devastating financial outcome. The losses for which you may be compensated for include:

* Loss of past and future wages
* Medical and hospital bills
* Expenses related to the rollover accident (property damage, car repair, etc.)
* Current and future pain
* Disfigurement
* Disability
* Diminished enjoyment of life
* Decreased life expectancy

A video clip of a Mattrack-equipped truck going through mud. These tracks can be put onto ATVs (4-wheelers), trucks, SUVs, tractors and just about anything with an engine.

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