Far and away the greatest danger that a driver of a minivan, SUV, or pickup truck faces is the possibility of a rollover accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, reports that almost 300,000 of these incidents occur annually, with a death toll totaling over 10,000 lives.

The problem in these cases is that top-heavy vehicles have a higher center of gravity, making them extremely vulnerable to tipping over when traveling even at moderate speeds. With the percentage of fatal SUV rollovers being more than double that of other passenger cars, the risk for driver and passenger alike is clear.

Causes

Rollovers are caused by the ratio of track width, or how far about the vehicles’ wheels are apart, to center of gravity as it applies to stability during turns. Trucks and SUVs are designed with a premise of off-road capability in mind that translates into a narrow track in conjunction with a high center of gravity for greater ground clearance.

Unfortunately, on the open road, this means that when a vehicle starts to skid, it is much more likely to tip over. Other factors that seem to contribute to the likelihood of a serious event include age and gender demographics, with males under the age of 25 most frequently behind the wheel in a single-vehicle accident.

Responses

The disproportionate number of rollover incidents involving SUVs has come to greater social attention as these types of vehicles have soared in popularity in recent years, resulting in pressure on the federal government to implement safety regulations. While no enforced standards exist as yet in terms of rollover prevention, the NHTSA has introduced a five-star safety rating system to keep consumers alert and informed.

Contact Us

If you or someone you love has been involved in a rollover accident and you believe another party’s negligence was at fault for any injuries, contact the experienced Chicago car wreck lawyers of Friedman & Bonebrake, P.C., today by calling 312-466-82000 for help during this difficult time.

On December 26, 2002, 9 year old Jaquieze Hogans went to the West Suburban Medical Center Emergency Room for chest pains, vomiting, cough and loss of appetite. There the doctor failed to properly diagnose the problem, calling it pneumonia, and discharged the boy two days later after using the wrong treatment.

On February 3, 2003, the boy returned to the emergency room, suffering from worsening symptoms, and was transferred to Rush Medical Center. The next day he was properly diagnosed with blastomycosis, a fungal infection. He was properly treated at Rush Medical Center - but it was too late. On February 9, 2003, he died due to the spread of the infection.

Friedman & Bonebrake took the case on behalf of the boy's mother, bringing about a verdict in her favor. The jury awarded her $4,016,929.09 for wrongful death, pain and suffering, medical bills and funeral expenses.

If you or someone you know has had to experience the pain of medical malpractice, contact the Chicago personal injury attorneys of Friedman & Bonebrake, PC at 312-466-8200.

Early Thursday morning, on the south side, the driver of a van was killed in a collision with another car. The accident occurred around 1:30am at East 82nd and Stony Island Avenue.

The driver of the van ran through a stop sign and hit the other car. The van rolled over and the driver was ejected and thrown onto the median, killing him. The two passengers in the other vehicle suffered minor injuries.

Rollover accidents can be incredibly dangerous. If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident, contact the Chicago personal injury lawyers of Friedman & Bonebrake, PC at 312-466-8200.