Rollover crashes are dangerous, and sometimes, even deadly. Because rollovers involve a mixture of factors such as weather, a driver’s reaction, vehicle type, and road conditions, there are a variety of things that can cause rollover wrecks. Fortunately, there are also a number of ways in which to address rollover causes through improvements in driving skills and technology.
Some physical features of vehicles can make them more or less likely to roll over. While any vehicle can roll over, the vehicles that have the highest rollover risk tend to be tall and narrow. These vehicles, which include many SUVs, vans, and pickup trucks, have a high center of gravity and can be rolled over with less force than it takes to roll over vehicles with a lower center of gravity, such as cars that have been designed with a low, wide stance.
Other factors that play a role in rollover crashes include speed, alcohol, and the driving environment. Fatal rollovers in particular often involve excessive speed. Alcohol consumption greatly increases the risk that you will make poor choices while driving, which includes the risk of losing control of your vehicle and rolling over. Approximately half of all fatal rollovers involve alcohol. Rollovers also occur more frequently on rural roads, where dividing lines are not as clearly marked and speed limits may be high despite the presence of curves.
As you can see, some of the causes of rollover crashes are directly tied to drivers’ behavior. This means that drivers can greatly reduce the risk of rollover accidents by making better choices regarding how they drive. Some examples of things that you can do to avoid rollover accidents include following posted speed limits, choosing not to drink and drive, choosing not to drive if you are fatigued, and avoiding distractions while driving. It is also important to remember not to make sudden, panicked movements with your steering wheel because those movements often lead to overcorrections and rollovers. Wearing a seat belt is always important, and it can save your life if your car rolls over. Close to seventy percent of rollover fatalities involve victims who were not wearing seat belts. Other things that you can do to decrease rollover risk include properly inflating and maintaining your tires and loading vehicles properly.
Vehicle design can also play a role in helping reduce the number of rollover accidents that occur. While it is essential that drivers learn how to reduce their rollover risk through making good choices, it is helpful when vehicles have additional features that reduce rollover risk even further. Stability control features have many different names, but they work in similar ways, detecting overcorrections and compensating for them by braking automatically. Side-impact or curtain-style airbags are another helpful technology that can reduce ejection risk and can reduce the amount of fatalities and the severity of injuries that occur during rollovers. It is important to note that side airbags that deploy during a rollover only work to reduce ejection risk if vehicle occupants are also wearing seatbelts. Variable ride height suspensions are another feature that can help vehicles adapt to changing driving conditions and make automatic adjustments to reduce the likelihood of a rollover.
Barrett Law PLLC: Representing Mississippi Automobile Accident Victims
If you were injured in a rollover, the experienced and dedicated Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC would like to help you. Please call us today, at 1 (800) 707-9577 to schedule your free, initial consultation.