Stephen Hasner | Car Accidents | January 10, 2019
Rollover accidents are among the scariest types of car accidents. When your car rolls over, you find yourself completely out of control.
By understanding the factors that are likely to increase the odds of a rollover accident, you can help avoid them, protecting yourself and your passengers.
Reason #1: Soft Soil or an Obstacle at the Side of the Road Catches Your Car
One of the most common factors contributing to a rollover accident when an object or obstruction in or near the road “trips” your car’s tires, causing the vehicle to roll. It all begins with your car sliding or skidding at an angle.
Once you begin to lose control of your car in an angular slide, soft soil can grab at your tires, transforming the slide into a roll in the blink of an eye. A guardrail, curb, or steep slope can also trip your tires if your vehicle approaches them at an angle, triggering a rollover.
Reason #2: Excessive Speeding
Excessive speed contributes to many rollover accidents. More than 40 percent of rollover accidents involve excessive speed, which not only makes it more difficult to control your vehicle to avoid a slide, but also increases the physical forces acting on your car that can trigger a rollover.
After all, moving fast makes it more difficult for your car’s tires to hold the road and increases the momentum you carry into a slide.
Reason #3: Driving a Tall, Narrow Vehicle
A tall, narrow vehicle is more susceptible to rolling over than a low, flat one because its center of gravity sits higher above the road surface and makes the vehicle more top-heavy. That is why vehicles like vans, SUVs, and buses are more likely to roll or tip over than, say, a sports car that hugs the road surface.
So, although you may feel more “stable” and in control of the road while behind the wheel of an SUV, the fact is there is far less chance of your vehicle rolling over if, instead, you drive a sedan.
Reason #4: Driving on a Narrow, Rural Road
Rural roads are often less likely to have guardrails, and they may be more likely to include steep drops and sharp turns. Because of these dangerous features, rural roads have a higher incidence of rollover accidents, even at lower rates of speed. In order to decrease the odds of a rollover accident, it can be helpful to practice driving on rural roads with young drivers. It’s also helpful to avoid or slow down on, winding roads late at night, when visibility is worse.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Atlanta Car Accident Lawyers At Hasner Law PC
If you’ve rolled your car over in an accident involving just your own vehicle, or another vehicle, you may need a lawyer to help ensure that you receive appropriate compensation for your injuries and property damage.
For more information, please contact the Atlanta car accident law firm of Hasner Law P.C. at our nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.
We serve in Fulton County, Chatham County, and its surrounding areas:
Hasner Law PC – Atlanta Law Office
2839 Paces Ferry Rd SE #1050
Atlanta, GA 30339
(678) 888-4878
Hasner Law PC – Savannah Law Office
221 W York St
Savannah, GA 31401
(912) 234-2334
