Rollover Accidents

Rollovers are some of the deadliest car accidents on Florida’s roads. According to Consumer Reports, only about 3% of car accidents are rollovers, but they account for around 30% of all fatalities. Although car safety has reduced the number of fatalities recently, rollovers still pose a hazard to motorists and nearby bystanders.

At Earnhart Law, we have helped those injured in car accidents for over 30 years. We can immediately get to work on your case to help you obtain the compensation you deserve, but you need to reach out to us.

What Causes Rollover Accidents?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are two types of rollovers:

• A tripped rollover usually involves the wheels hitting some obstacle, e.g., going onto the soft shoulder or having one side of a vehicle go up a ramp or guardrail, which sends the vehicle rolling onto its side or its roof. Around 95% of rollovers are of the tripped variety.
• All other rollovers are untripped and can occur because of the vehicle being unbalanced or top heavy.

There are many causes of rollovers, but the most common is probably sudden movement. For example, a drowsy motorist might begin drifting into a lane when he realizes that fact. Suddenly, the driver yanks the steering wheel in response, which causes the vehicle to go off the road and roll over.

Large commercial vehicles like tractor-trailers can also roll over, often because cargo inside the trailer is not properly balanced. A tractor-trailer that rolls over usually spells disaster, because the trailer can slam into vehicles in adjacent lanes.

Are SUVs Prone to Rollovers?

They used to be. Fortunately, SUV manufacturers have improved the design of their vehicles to reduce the likelihood of a rollover. According to Consumer Reports, the fatality rate due to rollovers of all new passenger vehicles has been steadily declining. The fatality rate for SUVs is even lower than the rate for other passenger vehicles. Of course, SUVs still rollover, but the cause is probably not the vehicle’s design.

Why Are Rollovers Dangerous?

We have seen people suffer terrible injuries after a rollover because:

• They didn’t wear a seatbelt, which causes them to be thrown around the vehicle. It is very easy to break your neck or damage your spinal cord in a rollover accident. Other victims are thrown from the vehicle in a rollover, which increases the risk of a fatality or a serious injury.
• The vehicle collapses. When a car rolls onto its hood, the vehicle’s heavier undercarriage is now on top. The vehicle can collapse, and occupants can be crushed under the weight.

Remember to buckle up before heading out on your ride and always follow the rules of the road. General driver safety can reduce the chances of a rollover accident.

Injured in a Crash? Contact Earnhart Law

Our Delray Beach car accident lawyers have decades of experience fighting for people like you. If you were hurt in a rollover or other car accident, call us today. You can schedule a complimentary consultation by calling 561-265-2220.

Resource:

consumerreports.org/cro/2012/02/rollover-101/index.htm

https://www.delrayinjuryattorneys.com/your-uber-could-have-no-driver/