What is Rollover Accident Law?

Rollover Accident Law

deals with unsafe vehicles and, more commonly, sport utility vehicles (SUV's) that do not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. All new vehicles must now be equipped with Electronic Stability Control Systems to prevent rollover accidents. These accidents can be very serious and even fatal.

Tripped Versus Untripped Rollovers

The causes of rollover accidents are commonly divided into two categories: tripped and untripped. Tripped rollovers, as the name implies, are caused by forces from an external object, such as the vehicle running over a curb or colliding with another vehicle. This outside force "trips" the vehicle and causes it to rollover. Untripped crashes, on the other hand, result from steering input, speed, and friction with the ground, and are often caused by a combination of driver error and poor vehicle design.

Which Vehicles Are Susceptible to Rollovers?

All vehicles can experience a rollover. However, those vehicles with higher centers of gravity are usually much more prone to this phenomenon. A variety of SUV's and full-sized vans are notorious for rollover accidents because they usually have a higher center of gravity compared to a fairly narrow wheel base.

Laws to Protect Against Rollovers

In response to public concern over rollover accidents, the federal government enacted a number of laws regarding vehicle design standards. Among these requirements were improved roll cage standards and requirements for electronic stability control systems. However, the implementation of roll cages has been slow to catch on, meaning many vehicles on the road today still lack adequate roof support in the event of a rollover accident. Also, a number of new warning signs have been implemented to warn drivers of road conditions in which rollovers may be prevalent.

Product Liability

Although a number of factors contribute to a rollover accident, many injured in these accidents seek recovery from auto manufacturers under a theory of product liability. In essence, the injured accuses the manufacturer of creating a vehicle that is inherently unsafe for its intended purpose, usually due to its high center of gravity and lack of safety features. These cases tend to be extremely complicated affairs, relying heavily upon the testimony of different types of experts to analyze which factors of the accident were caused by the drivers and which by the design of the vehicle itself.

For more information about Rollover Accident Laws, please review the resources below. Additionally, you can contact an attorney in your area by visiting our Law Firms page who focuses their practice on this area of the law.

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