Odds of Surviving a Rollover Car Accident

Rollover car accidents lead to many serious injuries and, unfortunately, plenty of fatalities all over the country. Understanding what happens in rollover crashes could save your life or equip you with the information necessary to file a wrongful death lawsuit when you have been seriously hurt in an accident and survive or when a loved one was involved in a fatal rollover crash. 

These kinds of accidents can leave devastating injuries in their wake, and not all of these injuries can be easily noticed at the scene of the accident. It is likely that if another person witnesses a rollover accident, they will contact a police officer or a state trooper to come to the scene. 

EMS and other emergency professionals may also be dispatched to the scene to help people get out of the vehicle. Depending on where your vehicle is placed and where it stops rolling, it may not be easy for everyone to exit the vehicle and it could even make injuries worse.

At Morgan & Morgan, we know how hard it can be to figure out how to move on with your life after a tragic rollover accident, especially if such an accident claimed the life of a loved one. That’s why we want you to understand the details of such accidents, how to respond, and to also let you know that we’re here for you when the unfortunate occurs. If you get into a rollover car accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to compensation to give you the means to move forward with your life. You can contact us anytime for a free, no-obligation case evaluation if you need help.

To learn more about the odds of surviving a rollover car accident, read on to discover some of the features of these types of wrecks.

Statistics About Rollover Accidents

Research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that around 2% of all motor vehicle accidents across the country involve a rollover. Catastrophic damages are common in rollover accidents because of the lack of control the driver has over the vehicle. A car may even roll over multiple times, causing broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and even death. In 2020, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported an increase in traffic accident deaths of 4.6% over the previous year, despite the fact that the pandemic had many people staying at home more. 

SUVs became extremely popular in the 1980s and continue to be one of the most popular types of vehicles today. The rollover death rate increased significantly over the following two decades after SUVs were introduced on the market. Recognizing some of the challenges and dangers of rollover accidents, new auto designs around 2010 helped to lower the center of gravity for these vehicles. This significantly cut the chances of a rollover accident and the number of deaths caused by tipping or rolling over dropped until 2020. Around 45% percent of Americans choose to drive or ride in SUVs because they believe they are safer traveling in them than in a traditional passenger vehicle. Another 50% of adults do not believe that overloading a vehicle, such as an SUV causes rollovers. SUV rollovers are more likely to happen when compared with other vehicles, and SUV rollovers represent nearly 37% of all fatal crashes. The rollover rate of passenger vehicles, however, is only 15%. Rollover accidents have serious and long-lasting consequences. In fact, around one-half of people in rollover accidents end with fatalities. 

Wearing your seatbelt is crucial in a rollover accident since nearly 4 out of 5 people killed in these crashes were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. Rollover accidents are frequently associated with single-vehicle accidents, meaning that the car rolled over or the driver lost control with no other vehicles involved in the crash at the time. The most common injuries for rollover accident victims who survive include damage to the abdomen, lower limbs, thorax, head, neck, and upper limbs.

Statistics About Rollover Vehicle Occupant Deaths

Nearly 75% of all occupants killed in rollover accidents were not held in place by a restraint, and another 66% of rollover deaths involved people who were ejected out of the vehicle at the time of the crash. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration details show that most rollover accidents are caused by a driver's mistake, and in nearly 40% of fatal single-vehicle rollover accidents, the driver was not able to execute any crash avoidance maneuvers.

Because of the unpredictability of an SUV rollover, many people suffered fatal injuries. If it can be shown that this accident was caused by another party, such as a drunk driver who struck the SUV head-on and caused a rollover or a maker of a defective part inside the SUV, surviving family members may be able to open a wrongful death claim. While no amount of money can ever fix this devastating loss, it may be the only way for your family to be able to financially recover and move on with their next steps. Only a qualified attorney should help you with a wrongful-death claim in any state, as this will be someone who is familiar with collecting all of the evidence and making a strong claim against any negligent parties. If you were not present at the scene of the accident, it could be hard for you to tell how the accident happened and who may be liable. Still, qualified lawyers with access to extensive resources can help to investigate the scene of the accident to determine what happened. 

What Causes Rollover Accidents?

The sources for causing a rollover can be many and a comprehensive investigation of the accident scene may be required in order to determine what contributed to the accident. If you have questions about your legal rights following an accident and whether or not someone else may be liable for the injuries you've sustained, it is extremely important to retain the services of a lawyer like those working at Morgan & Morgan. 

Morgan & Morgan attorneys know the landscape of the law and how to gather evidence that may show that someone else caused your injuries. Although many of these accidents are single-vehicle crashes, another party may still be held liable.

The most common causes of factors that contribute to rollover accidents include:

• Locations, such as high-speed areas or rural roads with no divider.
• The shape, size, and weight of the vehicle, since SUVs, passenger vans, and commercial tractor trade sailors have a higher center of gravity and are more likely to be involved in a rollover.
• Driving faster than posted speed limits.
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, with nearly 50% of all fatal rollover accidents involving someone who was impaired.
• Distraction. Driver inattention is in fact the leading cause of rollover accidents and can contribute in numerous ways such as tire blowouts, overcorrecting, cognitive distraction, visual distraction, and more.

Most rollovers occur when a vehicle slides sideways against a relatively soft surface, such as a fence or a guardrail. The other remaining percentage of rollovers are usually in high-speed crash avoidance incidents, typically with cars, trucks, and pickups that are top-heavy. The SUVs and pickup trucks most likely to be involved in a rollover accident include a Toyota Forerunner, a Cadillac Escalade, a Chevrolet Tahoe, a Chevrolet Colorado, a Ford F 250, a GMC Yukon and a Jeep Renegade.

What Are the Most Common Injuries in a Rollover Accident?

Surviving a rollover accident is a feat in and of itself since many people suffer fatal injuries and their family members are left reeling from the consequences. Many rollovers are violent and sudden instances in which the passenger or driver of a vehicle has little to no opportunity to protect themselves from serious injuries. 

Some of the most common injuries in a rollover crash include fractures and broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, internal organ damage, crush injuries, and deep cuts and lacerations. Whether the car tripped over, flipped over, turned over, fell over, collided with another vehicle, or bounced over, many factors may have contributed to the crash. If you believe that a defective part inside the vehicle caused your injuries, you may be able to file a defective product claim against the manufacturer of that product. You need someone to investigate your accident claim in full and to give you further details about what you can expect if you intend to recover compensation.

What Should I Do After an Accident? 

If you were recently involved in a serious SUV accident, get medical attention immediately. This is because you may not realize the full extent of your injuries, and the sooner you get medical attention, the easier it is to get the right treatment. You may be shocked to realize that some of your injuries will last for days, weeks, months, or even years. This leads to substantial medical bills and also a great deal of stress if you cannot go back to work or have to drastically alter your career because of these conditions. Thankfully, if you can show that someone else is responsible for your injuries, you may be able to recover compensation that helps you adjust to this new way of life.

If you can, gather any evidence from the scene of the incident. This may be helpful for filing an insurance claim and also to present to your lawyer. In the event that you need to hire an attorney to help you file a legal claim, your lawyer will prevent this in any other evidence collected from the other side. You may be able to resolve your claim outside of court and a settlement, but this is why it is so important to retain the services of talented lawyers who understand this process. Your attorneys will make sure you do not accept a low settlement offer that harms you and makes it impossible for you to move on with your life, and your lawyer will always be prepared to go to trial if and when that becomes necessary.

Contact Morgan & Morgan today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation to learn more about your options.