Common Causes of a Rollover Accident

A rollover accident is among the most dangerous types of vehicle accidents.  Car accidents, in general, claim 26,000 lives and injure over 2 million people annually.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, rollover crashes account for 29% of passenger vehicle occupant fatalities in 2021. The percentage of fatalities in vehicles that rolled over was highest for pickups (41%), followed by SUVs (37%), vans (26%), and passenger cars (21%).

A rollover accident is when the vehicle tips on its side, rolls onto its roof, or flips over several times.  Any vehicle can rollover, but most rollovers occur in vehicles with a high center of gravity, like a pickup truck or an SUV, and off-road vehicles like all-terrain vehicles (ATV).

If you or someone you know has been injured in a rollover accident, an experienced car accident lawyer can help you by handling related legal matters and working to get you maximum compensation.  Call (602) 258-0646 for a free consultation with a top Phoenix car accident lawyer.

What is the Most Common Cause of a Rollover Accident?

Driver error is the most common cause of a rollover accident.  Driver errors that cause rollover accidents include:

• Speeding: Taking a curve or turn too fast can cause tires to lose their grip, and a shift in the center of gravity. The higher the vehicle’s center of gravity, the more likely a rollover will occur in this situation.
• Tripping: When a vehicle’s tire hits something (e.g., curb, guardrail, uneven pavement, ditch, etc.) that shifts the vehicle’s weight to one side, causing it to roll before it can regain its balance.
• Fatigue or drowsiness: Fatigue causes impaired judgment, slower reaction times, and reduced reflexes.
• Intoxication (drugs, alcohol, medications): Drugs, alcohol, and several types of medication impair driving abilities, causing drivers to drive poorly, take unreasonable risks, and misjudge conditions.
• Aggressive driving: Speeding, cutting in and out of traffic, and tailgating frequently lead to crashes that cause a rollover.
• Distracted driving and inattention: Distracted driving and inattention are just as dangerous as aggressive driving and driving impaired because drivers often do not see hazards with sufficient time to safely respond.
• Oversteering: Oversteering is a common cause of ATV rollovers.

Other causes of a rollover accident include:

• Worn Tires: Worn tires may lack sufficient grip to hold the road, which can lead to a rollover accident, especially when speeding or offroading.
• Overinflated and underinflated tires: Improperly inflated tires often experience uneven wear and tear, which can cause rollover accidents.
• Overloaded Car: The center of gravity has a huge impact on rollover potential. An overloaded car shifts the center of gravity higher, which increases the likelihood of rolling over, especially when speeding and going around a curve.
• Side-impacts: A side-impact crash, also known as a T-bone accident, often causes the victim’s vehicle to tip and/or rollover.

What Factors Contribute to a Rollover Accident?

Many factors contribute to rollover accidents.  The most common factors are:

• Vehicle type: Any vehicle can rollover; however, vehicles will a higher center of gravity and poor weight distribution are more likely to rollover.  Taller, narrower vehicles such as pickups, SUVs, and vans are more susceptible to rollovers, especially when involved in a single-vehicle crash.
• Speed: The faster a vehicle travels, the more likely it is to suffer instability on uneven surfaces or curves.  Additionally, the faster an impact vehicle is traveling, the more force it transfers to the victim vehicle, increasing the likelihood of a rollover.  Approximately 40% of fatal rollover crashes involve excessive speeding.
• Vehicle location: Almost 75% of fatal rollovers occur in rural areas on roads where the speed limit is 55 mph or more.
• Equipment failure: Some rollover accidents are caused by equipment failure (e.g., electronic stability control failure, anti-lock brake failure, self-driving failure).
• Design flaw: Design flaws, like making a narrow vehicle with a high center of gravity, can cause rollover accidents.
• Road Conditions: Unsafe road conditions, caused by bad weather, construction, or road debris, can lead to a rollover accident.

What Factors Contribute to the Most Deaths in a Rollover Accident?

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety ( IIHS), roof crush is a main contributing factor in deaths and injuries associated with rollover accidents.  The federal government requires that a vehicle roof over the front seat must be able to support 1.5 times the vehicle’s weight.  When tested, the roof is not allowed more than 5 inches of crush.

Other contributing factors to death in a rollover accident include:

• Speed: Speeding causes a higher percentage of fatal rollovers than of any other type of fatal car crash.
• Alcohol: Even when drivers are not legally drunk, they may still experience the impairment of their attention span, vision, and muscle coordination.
• Seatbelt: Failure to wear a seatbelt and seatbelt failure often lead to death in rollover accidents.
• Head restraint failure: Unsafe headrests can lead to neck fractures and other scenarios that cause death.

Surprisingly, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that most rollover fatalities are the result of single-vehicle crashes. In addition, 90% of those vehicles in fatal rollovers are usually engaged in ordinary maneuvers at the time of the crash, like traveling on a straight road or turning a curve. This shows how crucial driver behavior is.

Vehicle rollover prevention tips

While you cannot prevent all rollover accidents, there are some things you can do to help prevent a rollover accident.

• Choose a car with advanced safety features: Driving a vehicle that includes the most up-to-date safety features, like electronic stability control, accident avoidance, and side-curtain airbags, can significantly protect you and your family.
• Wear your seatbelt: Seatbelts help secure you in your seat and keep you from being tossed around or ejected in a crash. Nearly 75% of people ejected from a vehicle die.
• Maintain your tires: Make sure your tires are in good shape, properly inflated, and not unevenly worn. Check your tire pressure every month, have your tires rotated and balanced every 5,000 miles, and regularly check for tread wear.
• Do not overload your vehicle: An overloaded vehicle can be dangerous by either raising the center of gravity or causing an uneven distribution of weight.  Try to store heavy items in the lowest parts of your vehicle.
• Slow down: Speeding can make it more difficult to control your vehicle, and it might make it difficult to quickly respond to changing road conditions.

What Should I Do If I Was in a Rollover Accident?

If you or a loved one was injured in a rollover accident, contact our Phoenix car accident lawyer immediately. There are many ways the other driver’s automobile insurance company will try to get out of paying you fair compensation.  Don’t let them take advantage of you. Call (602) 258-0646 and let us help you get the maximum compensation you deserve.

About the Author

Joseph D'Aguanno

Guided by the belief that being a highly skilled specialist in a narrow field is better than being ordinary in everything, Joseph “JD” D’Aguanno leads Arizona’s best personal injury law firm in Phoenix, AZ. Having extensive cross-training in pre-litigation negotiations and trial lawyer skills, with decades of experience, JD strives to provide clients with the most valuable legal services a personal injury lawyer can provide. Under his direction, Gage Mathers Law Group is an award-winning personal injury law firm providing aggressive representation to victims of a car accident, medical malpractice, dog bite, motorcycle accident, and other injurious events. Gage Mathers is trusted by thousands of lawyers and clients throughout the country because of their reputation for getting clients the maximum compensation they deserve.

Years of experience: Over 23 years
Bar number: 020421
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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