The Risk of a Vehicle Rollover
Car rollovers involve fatalities more often than other types of car accidents. Only 3 percent of accidents involved rollovers in 2002, but rollovers caused almost 33 percent of car accident fatalities. Nearly 75 percent of people killed in rollovers were not wearing a seat belt.
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Risk Factors
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Vehicles with a high center of gravity, such as SUVs and vans, are more likely to roll over. Alcohol impairment and excessive speed also make rollover crashes more likely. Most rollovers occur on rural roads.
Causes
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Ninety-five percent of single-vehicle rollovers occur when a vehicle drives off the road and slides sideways. Rolling over because of momentum, or after hitting an object, is called a "tripped rollover." Untripped rollovers usually occur when top-heavy vehicles swerve to avoid a collision.
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Considerations
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Almost 85 percent of rollover fatalities occur in single-vehicle crashes, according to safercar.gov. Driver behavior and judgment represent central factors in most rollover crashes.
Prevention
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Prevent rollovers by gradually reducing your speed if you drive off the road. Do not overcorrect or steer sharply. Wait until you have slowed enough to safely re-enter the road. Keep your tires properly inflated. Follow instructions carefully if you use a roof rack. Always wear your seatbelt while driving.
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