According to a report issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a number of factors influence the likelihood of a rollover accident. Minnesota drivers should be aware of the various things affecting the chances of being in a rollover, because these types of accidents tend to have a higher fatality rate than any other kind. Driver behaviors are leading contributing factors in this type of crash, but the kind of vehicle involved also plays a role in determining the likelihood of rolling.
The report points out that vans, SUVs and trucks that sit higher than they are wide are at a disproportionate risk for vehicle rollovers. While the type of vehicle plays a role in rollovers, other factors such as driver error, use of alcohol and location all seem to be heavy contributing factors. Alcohol is cited as a human influence point in roughly half of all rollover accidents. Speed figures in about 40 percent of all fatal rollover crashes.
Locations such as rural roads with speed limits higher than 55 mph seem to be the most dangerous, accounting for nearly 75 percent of all rollovers. Another factor appears to be the execution of routine tasks such as driving straight or coming around a turn. Rollovers tend to be single-vehicle accidents featuring a disproportionately high fatality rate compared to those involving two or more motor vehicles.
In a case where an SUV rollover has resulted in a serious injury, an attorney for the victim might begin by reviewing the road conditions where the accident occurred as well as other evidence in order to determine what factors may have been at play. If it can be determined that the accident was caused by the negligence of another driver, a decision may then be made to pursue the recovery of damages through a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible party.