When a rollover occurs, it is classified as either a tripped or an untripped rollover. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 95 percent of rollovers involving single cars are of the tripped variety. A vehicle may be susceptible to tripping on soft soils or when it is moving on a gravel surface. It may also be possible for a car to trip when it hits a curb or encounters a snowbank.
If a car is driving on a steep slope while not on a road’s surface or hits a guardrail, it could trip and rollover. Tripped rollovers generally occur on steep slopes when a vehicle leaves the road or when a driver misjudges the speed at which the car is traveling while going down the slope. Those who analyze rollover situations say that the best way to avoid them is to stay on the road.
The remaining 5 percent of rollovers are generally caused by a motorist attempting to avoid an accident while driving at a high rate of speed. In some cases, the car has a lot of weight either on or inside of it that is not evenly distributed. This causes the car to lose its center of gravity and tip over.
Those who are passengers in a car that rolls over and suffer injuries in this type of a car accident may wish to talk to an attorney in order to determine the potential remedies. If it appears that the accident was caused by the negligence of the driver, such as if the driver was distracted by talking on a cellphone or was impaired by alcohol or drugs, a personal injury lawsuit may be recommended. Damages could include the costs of required medical care and treatment as well as compensation for income lost due to an inability to return to work for a prolonged period.