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Rollover accidents make up just 2.2% of all motor vehicle crashes in the United States.
However, they account for 33% of economic loss related to motor vehicle injuries.
Understanding the common causes of rollover accidents can increase driver awareness and driving skills. It can also help injured people assess an accident and proceed with a compensation claim.
Schiller & Hamilton explain the causes of rollover accidents and what every driver should know.
What is a rollover accident?
A rollover accident occurs when a motor vehicle turns or comes to rest on a surface other than its tires. The vehicle overturns on its side or upside down.
How do rollover accidents occur?
Most rollover accidents (98%) occur when a vehicle loses balance laterally, falling on its side. A smaller number of rollover crashes involve a loss of balance from the front or back.
Are rollover accidents serious?
Rollover accidents are some of the most serious motor vehicle collisions. Although they represent only 2.2% of all motor vehicle crashes, rollovers cause one-third of all motor vehicle deaths.
Rollover accident statistics
- 220,000 rollover crashes happen in the United States each year, on average.
- 350,000 vehicle occupants are involved in a rollover crash each year.
- 9,000 deaths result from rollovers in the United States annually.
- An additional 14,100 people are seriously hurt from rollovers annually.
- Most people who are in a rollover will sustain an injury.
Causes of Rollover Accidents
Overcorrecting, oversteering
Overcorrecting occurs when a driver suddenly jerks or moves a steering wheel. Typically, this is in response to the vehicle drifting from its lane of travel. Inattention, poor driving skills or a reaction to a road hazard may all be reasons for overcorrecting.
The sudden jerking of the steering wheel may result in a loss of vehicle control. The movement may disturb the vehicle’s center of balance. When the overcorrection disrupts vehicle balance too much, the vehicle may tip or turn over.
Load issues, weight
Many vehicles on the road carry significant weight. When loads are uneven, or when they are poorly distributed, the vehicle may become unpredictable. It may not be safe to operate at high speeds. The driver may not be equipped for the difference in handling with the added load. The result may be that the driver cannot navigate conditions that would otherwise be manageable.
Road design
Some roads have sharp turns. A road may be designed in a way that pushes traffic together at a dangerous point. A vehicle could travel over a barrier, unable to negotiate a turn or shift in the road.
The result may be a rollover crash.
Vehicle design, balance
A vehicle’s design may make it more likely to overturn. Over time, passenger vehicles have become larger and heavier. Some of these vehicles have a high center of gravity. They may be more likely to tip.
Tire blowout
A tire blowout may cause a driver to lose control. The sudden change in movement may occur at a high speed. The result may be a rollover crash.
Contributing factors
In addition to these primary mechanisms of injury, some factors make a rollover more likely to occur. Speeding, distracted driving, and driving under the influence can contribute to a rollover.
Weather conditions like high winds or wet roads can make a difference. Highly inflated tires may make a vehicle more easily lose contact with the road.
Wearing a seatbelt makes a fatality less likely to occur.
Reacting to other drivers and obstructions
Some rollover accidents occur because of driver attempts to steer clear of a hazard. For example, if another vehicle swerves into the lane of travel, the driver may turn sharply to avoid a crash. A driver may swerve because an animal enters the roadway.
Types and Characteristics of Rollover Accidents
- Tip over – Sudden slowing or stopping, causing a loss of balance.
- Flip over – A rollover from the longitudinal axis, usually occurring on an incline.
- Bounce over – Vehicle striking and reacting to a fixed object.
- Turnover – Caused by a sharp turn
- Fall over – A downward slope causes the vehicle to fall end over end.
- Climb over – Traveling up and over a barrier
- Collison – Resulting from impact with another vehicle
What does a rollover crash look like?
A rollover crash may involve:
- A vehicle turning on its side
- Coming to rest upside down
- Multiple turns
- Travel to a different level, up or down
- Secondary dangers and causes of harm
Mechanisms of Injury
There are several ways that a rollover produces injury:
- Roof collapse – The roof collapses, reducing the space between the vehicle occupant and the roof. A person may suffer penetrating injury or blunt force trauma.
- Thrown from vehicle – With high ejection rates, a person may be thrown from the vehicle, suffering blunt trauma from the ground, other vehicles, or roadside objects.
- Crushing – A person may become struck under the vehicle or objects and sustain crushing injury.
- Secondary injury – A rollover accident may result in fire, chemical leak, or secondary collision. A vehicle may come to rest in a body of water, creating a risk of further harm.
What Drivers Need to Know About Rollover Accidents
As car accident lawyers, here’s what we want you to know about rollover accidents:
- Rollover accidents produce serious injury. Seek immediate medical attention for anyone involved. You may be injured, even if you don’t realize it.
- There may be underlying causes that are not immediately apparent. Another driver creating an obstruction, or road design, for example, may not immediately be known.
- You shouldn’t speculate with law enforcement about potential causes. A lawyer can assist with a thorough investigation.
- You may have the right to compensation. Amounts may be significant.
- A lawyer can represent you. A lawyer can investigate, build evidence, identify the basis for a claim, and pursue your case.
Schiller & Hamilton is a law firm representing victims of rollover crashes and their families.
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