SUV ROLLOVERS

Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) are among the most popular and best selling vehicles today. Many people think that SUVs are rugged and safe. Yet various studies and reports have indicated that many popular SUVs have a dangerous tendency to roll over in a collision or sharp turn, increasing one's risk of serious or fatal injury.

All types of vehicles can rollover. However, taller, narrower vehicles such as SUVs, pickups, and vans have higher centers of gravity, and thus are more susceptible to rollover if involved in a single-vehicle crash. NHTSA data indicates that 95% of single-vehicle rollovers are tripped. Tripping can occurs when a vehicle slides sideways and the tires dig into the roadway, or when the vehicles tires strike curbs, guardrails, culverts or other objects on or off the roadway. SUVs' size, high center of gravity, narrow track width, and top-heavy designs make them up to three times more prone to rollovers than other vehicles.

In addition to inherent problems with the stability of SUV's which contribute to rollovers, many are defectively designed in that they lack sufficient structural crash worthiness and safety features to protect provide passengers with adequate protection in a rollover. Poorly designed roofs and support structures may be prone to collapsing on occupants in rollovers, and inadequate occupant restraint systems will also greatly increase the risk of severe injury.

The rate of serious passenger injury in rollover crashes is 36% higher than in non-rollover crashes and rollover crashes are much more likely to result in serious head injuries than other types of accidents. Attorney generals representing 40 states have accused automakers of running misleading ads promoting the safety of their SUVs. In response, the government is working on a better system to rate SUV stability and is considering requiring automakers to create safer SUV and pickup designs.

In August 2004, the U.S. government's traffic safety agency, the NHTSA, announced the expansion of its rollover rating system for cars and trucks. The NHTSA's old rollover rating system was based on the vehicle's height and width and a test which includes a sharp turn at 50 mph. Vehicles were rated on a scale of one to five stars - vehicles that rolled over 10% of the time or less were given a 5-star rating whereas vehicles that rolled over more than 40% of the time were given a one-star rating.

FORD SUVS RANK POORLY IN ROLLOVER SAFETY

An August 2004 report published by the NHTSA showed that more than a third of the most popular 2004-model sport-utility vehicles show a tendency to roll over. Several Ford vehicles ranked among the poorest performers in rollover safety tests.

Rollover ratings issued in August 2004 by the National Highway & Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) placed several popular Ford vehicles at the bottom of the list in terms of rollover safety. The two-wheel drive Ford Explorer Sport Trac received a 35.8 percent rollover rating in tests, more than twice the rate of any car and the worst rating of 68 models tested. Additionally, the four-wheel drive Explorer Sport Trac, and the four-door and two-wheel drive versions of the Ford Explorer and Mountaineer, all placed in the bottom six of the SUV class, which as a group posted the lowest scores. Moreover, two 2005 Ford vehicles, the two-door Focus and the Ranger 4x4 pickup, were the worst performers in their respective classes according to recently updated government crash and rollover test results.

FORD EXPLORER ROLLOVERS: DEFECTIVE DESIGN OR DEFECTIVE TIRES In August 2000, Bridgestone/Firestone Inc (Firestone) and Ford Motor Co. jointly announced the recall of 14.4 million Firestone tires, due to a manufacturing defect that made the tires prone to separating and peeling off. The tire have been implicated in numerous serious and fatal accidents, most involving the extremely popular Ford Explorer. The recall included Firestone's 15-inch radial ATX, ATX II and Wilderness tires. Firestone estimated that 6.5 million of the recalled tires were still on the road. The NHTSA also issued warnings concerning 22 brands of Bridgestone/Firestone tires produced between 1991 and 2000.

Ford Explorers had been rolling over with such frequency that Congress investigated the matter. Nearly 300 people died in Explorers equipped with Firestone tires, and Ford Motor Co. blamed the rollovers and the injuries on the tires. However, Firestone and other groups countered, blaming the design of the Explorer.
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ROLLOVER FACTS

  • • More than 10,000 people each year are killed in rollover accidents.
  • • Rollover accidents account for 33% of all fatal accidents.
  • • 85% of all rollover-related fatalities are the result of single-vehicle crashes.
  • • According to a survey conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drivers of small and medium-sized SUVs are now 11 percent more likely to die than someone in a car.
  • • 40% of fatal rollover crashes involved excessive speeding.
  • • Taller, narrower vehicle are more likely to rollover.

MINIMIZE YOUR ROLLOVER RISK:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers the following tips to minimize your risk of a rollover.

Always wear your safety belt —Statistics prove that wearing a safety belt has the greatest effect on reducing the chance of fatality—occupants are 75% less likely to be killed in a rollover crash if they are wearing them.

Avoid Panic-like Steering —Many rollovers occur when drivers overcorrect their steering as a panic reaction to an emergency—or even to a wheel going off the pavement's edge. At highway speeds, overcorrecting or excessive steering can cause the driver to lose control, which can force the vehicle to slide sideways and roll over.

Know Proper Maneuvering —If your vehicle leaves the roadway, gradually reduce speed. Then, when it's safe to do so, ease the vehicle back onto the roadway.

Use Caution on Rural Roads —Rollovers are more likely to occur on rural roads and highways, particularly undivided, two-way roads or divided roads with no barriers. When a vehicle goes off a rural road, the vehicle can overturn when it strikes a ditch or embankment, or is tripped by soft soil. Nearly 75% of all rollover crashes occur in rural areas, so practice caution when driving on rural roads.

Maintain Your Tires —Improperly inflated and worn tires can be especially dangerous because they inhibit your ability to maintain vehicle control, the most important factor in reducing the chance of rollover. Worn tires may cause the vehicle to slide sideways on wet or slippery pavement, sliding the vehicle off the road and increasing its risk of rolling over. Improper inflation can accelerate tire wear, and can even lead to tire failure. It is important to maintain your tires properly, and replace them when necessary.

Load Vehicles Properly —Consult your vehicle's owner's manual to determine the maximum safe load for your vehicle, as well as proper load distribution. If you're using a roof rack, pay special attention to the manufacturer's instructions and weight limits. Any load placed on the roof will be above the vehicle's center of gravity, and will increase the vehicle's likelihood of rolling over.