Common Causes of Rollover Crashes

Rollover accidents are terrifying. The vehicle is out of control, perhaps spinning wildly and flipping over. This type of accident causes anything shaken loose in the car to shower the driver and passengers. It is also very disorienting.

You better have your seatbelts on to avoid smashing your head into the car roof. When the vehicle comes to a stop, you may hang upside down from your seat. You might need to cut the seatbelt to escape if the release gets stuck due to your body weight.

Here are some of the common causes of rollover accidents:

Tripping Accident

One common cause of a rollover accident is going too fast and hitting something that causes the car to trip and then flip, such as a curb, barricade, guardrail, or uneven road edge. This accident is more likely to happen when going too fast around a turn.

If your vehicle goes off a cliff on a turn, it needs to hit something leaving the road that causes the momentum to change to an angle that flips the car. Otherwise, the vehicle will go down without flipping.

Tire Failure

Losing a front tire may act like tripping over something and cause the driver to lose control and the vehicle to roll over.

Turning Too Sharply

Another cause for a rollover is turning too sharply for the vehicle’s speed. Swerving to avoid hitting an animal or other road hazard may be an automatic avoidance move that a driver does without having time to think about the possible results.

Some vehicles are lightweight. They may have a higher center of gravity, making it easier to roll over. Bad weather conditions may increase the danger.

High Winds

Rollover accidents are more common in areas with high winds, especially if the wind comes from the side. Truck trailers catch the wind and can blow over.

Improper Load Transport

Trucks carrying poorly secured loads can go out of balance and flip.

Multi-Vehicle Collisions

When more than two vehicles are involved in an accident, the movements of all the crashing vehicles can cause some of them to flip. This result is more likely if the collision comes from the side.

For example, a truck trailer that hits another one from the side can cause that truck to go off the road in a rollover accident. Knocking the trailer over may cause the cab to go over with it.

Driver Errors

The root cause of most of these problems is driver error. Contributing factors to a rollover accident are distracted driving, not paying attention to road signs, driving too fast, aggressive driving, fatigue, drowsiness, and impaired driving from alcohol or drugs.

What To Do If You Experience Rollover Accident

There may be more than one contributing factor involved in a rollover accident. Determining who is at fault may be challenging in a multi-vehicle accident.

You will need the help of a qualified attorney. Call (281) 475-4535 to make an appointment for a free consultation.