SUV Rollovers...Still a Serious Risk
Though it has faded from the spotlight in breaking news stories, the risk of SUV rollover remains a serious threat. Drivers and passengers of these vehicles, as well as those of vans and mini-vans, are all potential victims of rollover accidents. These accidents have been and continue to be responsible for loss and damages to property, as well as thousands of deaths and injuries each year. All this, despite efforts to push car manufacturers to make these vehicles safer.
In 2002, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that “rollover crashes constitute about one-fifth of all fatal crashes”, and that “the number of fatal SUV rollovers has more than doubled since 1991”. Many times blame tends to shift from the lack of safety in the vehicle to the carelessness of the driver or passenger for neglecting to wear a seat belt. However, data also shows that “22,000 people who were wearing a safety belt died in rollover crashes in the U.S. between 1992 and 2002”. Clearly, this is not a problem that can be resolved simply by telling people to wear their seat belts.



