Rollover Fatalities

Fatalities Caused By SUV Rollover

The number one cause of death and disability for people age 5 to 27 in the United States is motor vehicle accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that in rollover crashes, the rate of serious injury is 36 percent higher than if a vehicle does not rollover. These accidents are especially dangerous because often times, they result in traumatic head injuries-the most common type of fatal and non-fatal injury in rollover accidents-leaving passengers dead or permanently disabled.

These high fatality rates are largely due to the likelihood of passengers being violently thrown from their vehicles. Ejections account for more than 60 percent of all fatalities in rollover crashes.

When examining SUVs specifically, accident statistics show that these top-heavy vehicles are three times more likely to rollover in a single-vehicle accident than any other motor vehicle on the road. And these crashes are some of the most devastating. In 2003, SUV accidents killed more than 4,400 people-an 11 percent increase from 2002. Alarmingly, the causes of these deaths were reasons that SUV manufacturers have been aware of for years, but have been lax on taking the necessary steps to improve safety and stability for consumers.

One reason for the disregard is money. Purchase habits show that one out of every four vehicles bought in the United States is an SUV-and about $15,000 of each purchase goes directly in the vehicle manufacturer's hands. Sadly, money often prevails over safety when it comes to vehicle design and manufacturing.

But there is good news. Federal statistics show that there has been some progress in recent years in reducing rollover deaths. For example, in 2006 there were 10,698 motorists killed in rollover accidents-a 1.6 percent decline compared to 2005. Also, the rate of rollover deaths in 2006 (per 100,000 registered vehicles) was 4.55-a decrease of 3.6 percent from the previous year.

Even more encouraging is the government's proposed mandate that would require Electronic Stability Control devices in all new vehicles by the 2012 model year. Installing this safety feature could reduce single-vehicle SUV crashes by 67 percent, studies reveal.

But there is still a long way to go in terms of safety. If you or a loved one has been killed or injured in a rollover accident, contact our qualified attorneys today.