Today, bigger is better: bigger homes, bigger meals, bigger televisions, and bigger cars. Since the 1950’s, the size of families has increased and so has the need for cars that seat more people. Today, 1 in 4 cars purchased is an SUV (sport utility vehicle), and SUVs are the most popular choice for families since they has more room and better safety features than smaller, more compact cars. And while the SUV may seem like the perfect road-tripping, soccer toting vehicle, an estimated 70,000 SUV’s rollover every year injuring or killing passengers. Rollovers are one of the leading causes of fatalities in car accidents.
So what can a driver do to reduce the risk of an SUV rollover?
• Make sure your tires are always properly maintained. Keep them pressurized and make sure the threads are not too bare.
• Avoid overloading the car. SUVs already have a higher center of gravity; this is what makes them more likely to roll. When the car is heavily loaded, the center of gravity is even more unstable, if you car is packed with lots of luggage, gear or people, make sure to take extra caution while driving.
• Take turns slowly and, if you are on bumpy or unpaved roads, take extra caution while driving.
• Always be aware of your surrounding and control your speed. SUVs were not made for racing, so higher speeds make them less stable.
• Avoid swerving the car unnecessarily. If you are driving fast and try to swerve to miss hitting a squirrel or something else in the road, the car’s narrower track width and high center of gravity could cause a rollover. The best thing to do is drive slow. If you have to swerve, avoid panicked swerving.
In you or someone you know was injured in an SUV rollover, the law office of Robbins & Associates P.C. in the Atlanta, Georgia can help; please contact their website to learn more.