Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) Rollovers

The manufacturers of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) and Mini-vans are under increasing criticism for not improving the safety of these popular vehicles. SUV rollover accidents accounted for just 3 percent of all U.S. auto accidents in 2001, but caused nearly a third of all vehicle-occupant fatalities, and an SUV occupant was more than three times as likely to die as a result of a rollover as an occupant of a passenger car.

Some SUVs and mini-vans will roll over under conditions where other vehicles simply slide out. These rollovers often occur when a driver swerves to avoid hitting something or momentarily drifts partially off the roadway, gets back on the road and then tries to straighten the vehicle.

Evidence of an on-road rollover may be found at the scene of the accident, in the form of tire marks and gouging and scraping on the roadway. For example, tire marks that suddenly end in the middle of the road may be indicative of an on-road rollover. If possible, have photographs taken of the accident scene and any marks on the road as soon as possible. Tire marks may disappear within hours or days of an accident due to other vehicles driving over them.

Car manufacturers that market unstable SUVs typically blame the driver when an SUV rolls over on the road. Jeffery Runge, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the top U.S. auto-safety regulator said that many sport utility vehicles aren't safe enough due to rollover risks. Runge added that fatalities in single vehicle rollovers increased 22.3 percent from 2000 to 2001 and now account for 8,400 fatalities.

Runge, who served as an emergency room physician for 20-years before becoming head of the NHTSA, said SUV drivers are especially vulnerable to fatal rollovers because the vehicle's high center of gravity makes them more likely to tip during sudden maneuvers. If automakers don't take steps to make SUVs safer, Runge warned that the government could step in to demand changes.

More than 30 of the 2002 SUVs tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration earned just one or two stars, including the top-selling SUV, Ford Explorer, and other popular models such as Chevrolet Tahoe, Toyota 4Runner, and Nissan Xterra. Other SUVs that are known to roll over on smooth dry road include, but are not limited, to the Mitsubishi Montero, Ford Bronco II, Suzuki Samurai, and Isuzu Trooper.

Public Citizen issues a statement on SUV rollover accident statistics
July 17, 2003

After federal traffic statistics were released showing a significant increase in the number of fatal SUV rollover accidents to occur, Public Citizen consumer group’s president Joan Claybrook issued a statement. Public Citizen has been aggressively pushing for industry safety improvements to be implemented in SUVs, and Claybrook responded to the increase in fatalities saying, “The fact that rollover crashes were responsible for 82% of the increase should be a wake-up call to the automobile industry and Congress. Automakers can and should protect motorists from death and serious injuries in rollover crashes,” (New York Times, 7/18/03).

Congressional Hearing Takes Closer Look at SUV Dangers
February 26, 2003

A congressional hearing taking a close look at SUV rollover dangers took place on February 26, 2003 after critics complained about SUV safety concerns for years. In January, Jeffrey Runge, the nation’s top auto safety regulator, stunned the entire industry when he criticized SUV safety. Concerned with the SUV rollover deaths and injuries, Runge spoke candidly about SUV rollover trends.

While the auto industry has been defending SUV safety, Public Citizen president and former director of the federal auto safety agency, Joan Claybrook, thinks that the closer look at SUV rollover safety concerns is long overdo. For years the auto industry has known about SUV rollover risks but has failed to properly address it in order to avoid regulation and the government did not step up in response according to Claybrook.

Data from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers has been released indicating government figures show the fatality rate in SUV rollovers is three times greater than in cars. Regulators in conjunction with battling auto makers and consumer groups will soon determine any SUV rollover safety implementations and changes to be made in the future.

Time Limits on Filing Suit
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Irwin & Boesen, P.C. represents persons who have been injured in automobile rollover accidents. Please contact us for an honest evaluation of your case.