Auto Accident Lawyer

Wilkes-Barre, Sugarloaf and Hazleton, Pennsylvania

SUV Rollover Accident FAQ

• Why is it important to understand the facts about SUV rollover accidents?
• What things can I do to help prevent a rollover accident in my SUV?
• How can I understand the NHTSA's Rollover Resistance Ratings?
• Where do most SUV rollover accidents occur?
• Can Electronic Stability Control (ESC) help to reduce SUV rollover accidents?

Why is it important to understand the facts about SUV rollover accidents?

It is extremely important to understand the factors in an SUV rollover accident because these types of crashes often have serious injuries or even wrongful death as consequences. The more people know about the dangers of SUVs and how they are prone to rollovers, the more people can protect themselves and maybe even prevent some of these tragic accidents.

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What things can I do to help prevent a rollover accident in my SUV?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) there are five things you can do to help avoid a rollover:

• Avoid situations that might lead to losing control of the SUV including driving when drowsy; driving when roads are slippery from rain, snow or ice; driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol; or speeding.
• Use extra caution on back roads or even rural roads.
• Avoid overcorrecting when steering. Instead, gradually slow down and slowly ease the steering wheel back to the correct position.
• Properly maintain tires and correct tire pressure. Replace tires as soon as they need it.
• Properly load the SUV. Be extremely cautious when adding extra weight, whether it is passengers, equipment, or luggage. If the vehicle is overloaded it is much more prone to rollovers.

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How can I understand the NHTSAs Rollover Resistance Ratings?

The NHTSAs Rollover Resistance Ratings are based on a measure of top heaviness called the Static Stability Factor. These ratings were compared with 220,000 actual crashes. They correspond very strongly with the actual rollover incidence of SUVs. The lower or wider the vehicle, the more stars awarded in the NHTSA ratings. In other words, the greater the number of stars, the less the likelihood of a rollover accident.

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Where do most SUV rollover accidents occur?

Most SUV rollover accidents occur when a driver runs off the road. The vehicle is tripped by another surface next to the road such as:

• Different pavement materials
• Ditches
• Soft curbs or shoulders

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Can Electronic Stability Control (ESC) help to reduce SUV rollover accidents?

Because most SUV rollovers occur when SUV drivers run off the road, ESC may help drivers to not run off the road by helping them to maintain control when overcorrecting their steering. ESC has sensors that correct the vehicle when it starts to spin out and realigns the vehicle properly on the road by braking one or more wheels. Since the correction has occurred in a carefully controlled manner, drivers may not need to correct the steering. Since drivers are prone to overcorrecting, causing an SUV to roll over, ESC may help to reduce rollovers by reducing the number of SUVs that run off the road in the first place.

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If you have been in an SUV accident, please contact the auto accident lawyers at The Falvello Law Firm today to schedule your initial consultation. The Falvello Law Firm serves clients in Hazleton, Sugarloaf, Wilkes-Barre, Berwick, and Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.