SUV Safety in the News

A Ford Bronco II lifts up on two wheels while negotiating Consumer Reports magazine’s test track in 1989. NHTSA found 43 Bronco II rollover fatalities in 1987 but concluded the Bronco’s rollover rate was similar to that of other SUVs.

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"The manufacturers don't want to lose a single sale and they're afraid if rollover ratings get out, they'll lose sales." - Clarence Ditlow, Center for Auto Safety

May 29, 2007
"Federal regulators are delaying a decision on a new rule to require increased vehicle roof strength, one of the nation's most important vehicle safety issues facing consumers."

October 23, 2006
"Automakers in Washington are working feverishly to convince the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to scale back proposed regulations calling for stronger vehicle roofs."

September 5, 2006
"In an enormous victory for the Ford Motor Co., federal regulators will not conduct a formal investigation into claims that thousands of Ford Explorers built between 1997 and 2001 have unsafe roofs that violate federal safety standards."

June 13, 2006
"Stability Control Gear Cuts Auto Deaths, Study Finds"
Ten thousand fatal automobile crashes a year, or nearly one-third of such accidents in the U.S., could be prevented if more vehicles were equipped with technology that helps to keep them from rolling over, the insurance industry says in a study released today."

(CBS) Just how risky are SUVs when it comes to possible rollovers? If you can't find figures to help you make an educated assessment, CBS News Transportation Correspondent Bob Orr says you can blame the auto industry and Congress.