Rollover accidents are one of the most dangerous types of accidents. As your car rolls, you will be tossed around the car, making contact with various objects before coming to a rest. Your body is at the mercy of elements outside of your control.
During a rollover accident, you will go wherever the car goes. It is especially dangerous if you neglected to wear a seatbelt. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), rollover accidents cause over 10,000 deaths every year.
How Rollover Accidents Differ From Other Car Accidents
Alongside head-on collisions, rollover accidents can be among the deadliest traffic accidents. Normally, the energy built up by your car will typically be affected by factors, including:
- The speed at which you are driving
- How effectively you can hit your brakes
- The conditions of the road
Vehicles are built with safety features like crumple zones that allow energy to be displaced safely during an accident. However, a rollover accident causes all the energy of your vehicle’s crash to toss the vehicle over and about. This can have devastating effects on the human body.
Depending on the severity of the crash, there may also be what is known as cabin intrusion, which occurs when the structural integrity of the car folds inward, like a sort of crumpling effect. In the past, this could be a death sentence, especially before the widespread implementation of seatbelt laws. Luckily, modern vehicles stand strong in rollover car crashes.
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The Damage Caused by Rollover Accidents
While rollover crashes do not always cause serious bodily harm, the potential for destruction is much higher. In some cases, when a driver or passenger does not wear a seatbelt, someone can be ejected from the vehicle through a door or window. Between loose objects inside the car, and the sheer force of the impact itself, people in the car may suffer injuries including:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Neck or spine injuries
- Broken bones
- Cuts or lacerations
- Loss of limb
- Permanent disability
With modern safety features, the effects on the human body can be less if the airbags deploy, as they should in an accident of this magnitude.
The Causes of Rollover Accidents
The causes of rollover accidents are many, but they typically take place when a car’s balance is thrown off by an outside force or by a displacement of energy—such as changing directions too quickly. When a rollover car wreck happens in a single-car crash, it may have something to do with the rate of speed at which the individual was traveling. Other factors can include:
- Overloading cargo
- Hazardous road conditions
- High winds
- Steep inclines
- Sharp turns
Any vehicle can experience a rollover accident. However, tall or narrow vehicles are more likely to be involved in rollover car accidents. This includes vehicles such as SUVs, vans, and pickup trucks.
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How to Avoid a Rollover Accident
Many times, these accidents can be avoided by maintaining a safe speed and exercising caution when road conditions worsen. Always exercise proper safety measures when driving, such as:
- Wearing your seat belt
- Obeying the posted speed limit
- Avoiding distracted driving
- Practicing defensive driving
- Using a designated driver when drinking alcohol
- Asking a mechanic to inspect your airbags
- Making sure your tires have proper tread
However, there will always be unexpected accidents in life. Between reckless drivers and falling debris, many things can ultimately cause a car to roll over. Avoid keeping heavy, unsecured objects in the backseat of your car, in case you are ever in a rollover car accident.
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