A rollover accident is a very serious situation that often results in fatalities or serious injuries. Vehicles do not have a design intended to provide safety when rolling over onto the roof. Because of this, rollovers are a particularly dangerous type of accident.
The U.S. Department of Transportation explains that this violent type of accident is almost always something that officials can link back to the interactions leading up to it between the driver, vehicle and road. More so than other types of crashes, rollovers are commonly single-vehicle accidents, which means that you are responsible for avoiding them and understanding what can lead to such a crash.
Typical circumstances
Rollover accidents are most common in vehicles that have a higher center of gravity, such as an SUV or a van. They happen most often on two-lane roads with speed limits of 55 miles per hour or more. Most of these accidents are in rural areas.
It is also common for rollover accidents to happen during routine driving activities. What this means is that you are most likely to have such an accident when you are just driving down the road without any interference from another vehicle or anything else that may lead to an accident.
Common factors
The biggest factor that contributes to rollover accidents is bad driving behavior. Distracted driving, for example, usually plays a role because rollovers often are a result of a loss of control.
Alcohol is the most common factor in a rollover accident. About half of all accidents will involve alcohol, which affects your ability to control your vehicle.
Speed is also a common factor in this type of accident because it affects your ability to control the vehicle and adjust to changes in the roadway or environment. When speed is a factor, it is more likely that you and your occupants will die in the crash.