Rollover accidents are the most dangerous kind of wrecks on the roads of Georgia. Although they don’t account for the largest number of deaths, drivers and passengers have a higher chance of losing their lives in rollover accidents.
According to data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, frontal, or head-on, crashes accounted for 54 percent of all traffic deaths in 2015. The impact of head-on accidents is typically greater than that of other wrecks.
Other types of accidents, predominantly rollover crashes, accounted for 16 percent of fatalities, while side-impacts comprised a quarter of traffic fatalities. Although rear-end crashes are one of the most common types of wreck, they accounted for just 5 percent of crash fatalities.
An accident is considered a rollover crash if a vehicle tips onto its side or roof at any point during a crash. According to the IIHS, rollovers occur in a mere 2 percent of all crashes. Data collected by IIHS since the institute’s conception found rollover crashes accounted for one-third of fatalities.
Rollover accidents are often deadly
Rollover accidents can occur after a T-bone or a head-on collision. However, they are often single-vehicle crashes.
While vehicle design is not relevant to many crashes it has a bearing on rollover wrecks. SUVs, trucks, and vans are more likely to roll over in a crash.
SUVs are far more top-heavy than regular cars, giving them a higher center of gravity. If you take a curve at a high speed, you are more likely to roll your vehicle.
There are some ways to cut down on the rollover risk when driving, but if you’re involved in an accident you are unlikely to be in control of the situation.
Responsibility for a Rollover Accident in Georgia
Many serious injuries are caused by rollover accidents. Given the intense force and speed at which some of these accidents occur, the injuries could be especially dangerous and are often fatal. When a car rolls over its occupants can suffer serious head injuries.
If an occupant of a vehicle is not wearing a seatbelt, there is a risk he or she could be ejected from the car and hit the road or another solid object at high speed. The results are often tragic. About four percent of occupants of cars are ejected in rollover accidents, states the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
If you are a passenger in a vehicle and the driver loses control, causing a rollover accident, you may have grounds to file a claim against the driver’s insurance company. Divers may commit other errors like making an improper lane change.
If you were hurt in a rollover crash caused by another party, please call our Georgia auto accident lawyers at (404) 913-1529.