Rollover Accidents and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV's)

In March 2016, a young woman was killed and three men injured in Mission, British Columbia, when the vehicle the young woman was driving rolled over and crashed. While alcohol was not found to be a factor in the crash, investigators stated that speed was. Rollover accidents are one of the most common types of vehicular accidents in Ontario and Canada and generally involve a vehicle flipping either onto its side or onto the roof.

There are two types of rollover accidents: tripped and untripped. Tripped rollover accidents are typically caused by some type of external force, such as a steep slope, loose guardrail, collision with another car. Untripped rollover accidents are caused by personal or internal forces, such as speeding. Rollover accidents are typically related to a vehicle’s ability to make turns and take corners. If the driver and, by the same token, the vehicle is not stable at a turn, there is a higher chance it will rollover.

Although most rollover accidents involve a single vehicle, the fatality rate as a result of these accidents, is very high. According to safercar.gov, rollover accidents have a higher fatality rate than other type of accident and 85% of them are single-vehicle collisions. A significant contributing factor to the high fatality rate is the failure by drivers and passengers to wear a seat belt.

There are many common causes of rollover accidents.

1. Type of Vehicle – Statistics have found that taller and narrower vehicles such as pickup trucks and SUV’s have a higher risk and incidence of being involved in rollover accidents. 

2. Speed – Speeding is a leading cause of rollover accidents as it can often cause the driver to lose control of their vehicle.

3. Driving Under the Influence (DUI) – It is never a good idea to drive while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. However, despite the many warnings and harsh penalties, it unfortunately continues to be a leading cause of accidents, including rollover accidents. 

4. Location – Drivers are at a higher risk of rollover accidents when driving through rural and/or rough terrain areas.   

5. Novice/Inexperienced Drivers – New and inexperienced drivers are at a higher risk of any type of accident as they are not yet confident and skilled enough to maneuver when something goes wrong or there is an unexpected situation such as another vehicle suddenly switching lanes, an animal rushing into the road, etc. This can sometimes result in a loss of control of the vehicle and a rollover accident. 

6. Distracted Driving – Distracted driving has increasingly become a significant issue in Ontario and cause of road accidents. Anything that distracts the driver from the road for even a second is considered a distraction. This can include everything from removing a jacket to to talking to passengers.

7. Fatigue – Fatigue is another leading cause of accidents. Shift workers and truck drivers are especially susceptible. Basically if one is very tired, they are unlikely to be alert, which increases the risk of going off road.

8. Road Conditions – The presence of too many potholes and other road damage, as well as debris after major storms are all likely to contribute to rollover accidents, particularly if the driver is speeding.

While all of these factors can significantly contribute to rollover accidents, one factor that has received a lot of media and public attention, is the type of vehicle; particularly sports utility vehicles (SUV's). According to ConsumerWatch.com, SUV rollover accidents first became highly publicized in the 90’s. The American National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that more than 10,000 people are fatally injured yearly in United States, due to SUV rollover accidents. In 2000, backlash against these types of vehicles increased as a number of individuals were injured in rollover accidents resulting from faulty tires in some vehicles. This led to a massive recall by Firestone, the company responsible for manufacturing the faulty tires.

One of the main reasons why SUV’s have such a high rate of rollover accidents is because like trucks, they have a higher center of gravity because they are tall, with a their body further off the ground than other vehicles. Therefore, anything that affects the vehicle’s center can cause it to go off road and result in a rollover accident. One main reason for this is because SUV’s were not originally designed for passenger/everyday road use; instead, they were initially meant to be used for work purposes. Their design makes them prone to rollovers but more importantly, they provide weak protection for drivers in the event of a crash, which is likely one reason the fatality rate of rollover accidents is so high.

Statistics have shown that a contributing factor to SUV rollover accidents are faulty or defective parts, particularly tires, which support the vehicle’s center of gravity. And as previously noted, anything affecting the center of gravity of tall vehicles such as an SUV, is likely to cause a rollover accident.  When a tire is faulty, it can cause the tread to separate, which can lead to major issues, like a rollover accident, particularly when the driver is speeding. Along with the 2000 Firestone tire recall, other issues of faulty parts in SUV’s resulting in numerous rollover accidents include Toyota’s recall of more than 800,000 SUV’s as a result of a defective front suspension, which affected the steering mechanism of the vehicle and JEEP’s recall of its Liberty model. The latter involved an issue of the vehicle’s suspension rising and lowering unexpectedly.

As a result of several product defects, which often led to rollover accidents, manufacturers of SUV’s have faced many product liability and personal injury lawsuits. The reality is that manufacturers have an obligation to ensure that they are producing products that are safe and live up to the standards they advertise. A failure to do so that results in injury or worse death to individuals,  particularly once it is known to be an unsafe condition, is extremely negligent on the part of the manufacturer and seller.

If you or someone you love was injured in a motor vehicle accident resulting from another driver's negligence, call an ILO accident lawyer to discuss the particulars of your case and find out about your legal options. Our knowledgeable lawyers have years of experience in helping individuals successfully settle personal injury claims.