SUV Rollover Statistics

SUV rollover statistics reveal that SUV rollover is three times more likely than rollover in other passenger vehicles. Rollover is the leading cause of death on our nation''s roadways because the injuries that are sustained in rollover accidents are typically much more severe than those suffered in planar accidents. Sixty one percent of SUV occupant fatalities occur in rollover crashes, according to government SUV rollover statistics. According to federal SUV rollover statistics, the Ford Explorer SUV is sixteen times as likely as the typical family car to kill another driver in a vehicle accident.

In 2003, the government issued a number of SUV rollover statistics indicating a considerable increase in the number of SUV rollover accidents between 2001 and 2002. This was the same year that SUV rollover statistics revealed that at least 300 people were killed or seriously injured as a result of defective Firestone tires on unstable SUV Ford Explorers. Also in 2003, a congressional hearing took place to investigate high SUV rollover statistics. Consumer advocacy groups like Public Citizen have been pushing for greater scrutiny of SUV rollover statistics and tougher regulations on SUVs in order to protect American consumers.

Manufacturers of SUVs have had access to SUV rollover statistics for several years. These colossal companies have clout when it comes to government policy implementation and have made several successful attempts to conceal SUV rollover statistics from consumers. Instead of voluntarily acting to protect consumers from the threat of SUV rollover by making minor adjustments in SUV design, manufactures have avoided the issue. Manufacturers have chosen incredible profit margins (some totaling $15,000 per SUV sold) over consumer safety for years.

Instead of demanding that changes be made to protect consumers, the federal government has instituted a program through the NHTSA to annually publicize SUV rollover statistics. This program uses a static and a performance test to measure rollover propensity of several SUVs and passenger cars. SUV rollover statistics still reveal that these vehicles are three times more likely to rollover in an accident than passenger cars. This is because SUVs are narrower and taller than passenger cars. A higher center of gravity makes these vehicles less stable on the road. SUV rollover statistics will remain the same until physical improvements are made to the overall design of SUVs.

In 2003, almost 4,500 people died in SUV accidents, a twenty two percent increase from 2001. Ejection accounts for sixty-three percent of all fatalities in SUV rollover accidents. Eighty four percent of serious SUV rollover injury is suffered by victims who were not wearing their seatbelt at the time of the accident. SUV rollover statistics prove that seatbelts greatly increase a victim''s chance of surviving an SUV rollover accident.

SUV rollover statistics are only going to decrease if pressure is applied to the automobile manufacturers prompting them to make SUVs safer. Until such time, SUV makers can be held responsible for injuries caused by their defective products through a SUV rollover lawsuit.

SUV Rollover Breaking News

"Cross Country Trip Turned Fatal"

A San Jose woman was killed Saturday in a SUV rollover accident that happened in Colorado.

The accident reportedly also claimed the life of a friend who was foll...

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"$82.6 Million Paid to Ford Rollover Victim"

A California court of appeals ordered Ford Motor Company to pay a jury award of $82.6 million to a woman left paralyzed after a rollover accident in 2002.

In June 2004, Benetta Buell-Wilson and her husband were awarded $369 million, including ...

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"Reduction in SUV rollovers avoided for too long"

The first Congress attempt to mandate a standard for SUV rollover protection was in the mid-1980s right after SUVs began to grow in popularity. The auto industry has been able to block any SUV rollover standard thus far, though pressure for congressio...

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SUV Rollover Statistics

SUV Rollover Breaking News

"Cross Country Trip Turned Fatal"

"$82.6 Million Paid to Ford Rollover Victim"

"Reduction in SUV rollovers avoided for too long"

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