The likelihood of suffering serious or fatal personal injury during an accident increases if the vehicle rolls over. Although rollover is not particularly common in most crashes involving light passenger vehicles, occurring in only three percent, it accounts for more than a third of occupant deaths, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, (IIHS).
Three factors influence whether a vehicle will roll during an accident: the design of the vehicle, the conditions of the road, and the behavior of the driver. Several incidents that have occurred in California in recent years illustrate how these factors contribute to rollover, according to an attorney in the state.
A vehicle’s design determines its tendency to rollover. Those with a high static stability factor, SSF, are less likely to roll. The SSF of a vehicle can be calculated by dividing the distance between the right and left tires, also known as its track width, by its center of gravity. Over the years, there have been several fatal rollover accidents involving 15-passenger vans, many of which can be at least partially attributed to their low SSF. In addition, when these vans were designed, automakers extended the back end to make room for extra seating without changing the wheelbase, causing the vehicle to become back heavy when fully loaded with passengers. In March 2003, the driver of one of these vans lost control while rounding a curve in Northern California. The van rolled several times, killing five of the passengers.
Rollover accidents occur with greater frequency on rural or rugged roads than smooth ones. During an off-road race in California’s high mountain desert last summer, eight people were killed and 12 personally injured when a racer lost control of his modified truck and it rolled over onto a crowd of spectators, according to a local attorney. The majority of rollover crashes occur when the driver loses control of the vehicle, and it begins to slide sideways. Usually an object, such as the curb, a guardrail, rocks, or an uneven surface, will trip the vehicle, sending it rolling.
As with any type of motor vehicle traffic accident, driver behavior plays a large role. Speeding and reckless driving are two leading causes of crashes. This was the case last winter in Orange County. A 24-year-old was speeding on the I-5 Freeway and lost control of the vehicle while attempting to change lanes. The vehicle rolled several times, fatally ejecting his 18-year-old female passenger. Authorities later determined that she was not wearing her seat belt. Studies have shown low seat-belt use among the occupants of vehicles with a high risk of rollover: recreational off highway vehicles (ROVs), sport utility vehicles (SUVs), light trucks, and 15-passenger vans.
Ultimately, multiple factors influence the likelihood of a rollover accident. Choosing a vehicle with a high SSF, a smooth road, and to engage in safe driving practices can all help reduce the risk of suffering a rollover, as well as other types of accidents.
