Seattle, Washington-area Auto Accident Attorney Assists Victims of Rollover Accidents

A vehicle rollover can be the most frightening and damaging kind of auto accident. When compared to other types of accidents, rollover accidents cause the highest rate of driver and passenger fatalities. Unfortunately, these often deadly accidents are occurring more often than ever before. The rising popularity of high-centered vehicles and the tendency of some tires to trigger rollover after a blowout are causing these types of accidents to becoming increasingly common. If you or a loved one has been a victim of an automobile rollover accident in Seattle or another area of Washington State, an auto accident and product liability attorney from Phillips & Webster may be able to help.

• Reasons for Rollover Accidents
• Why Rollover Accidents Are More Dangerous

Reasons for Rollover Accidents

Traditionally, rollover accidents have been rare because it takes a significant amount of force to tip even a small car over. But certain circumstances will cause a car to roll. Automobile manufacturers must consider two things with respect to rollover when they design their cars: the likelihood a rollover will occur and the vehicles ability to withstand impact in a rollover accident. A car that is designed in such a way that makes it more likely to rollover is not a safe car to drive. Nor is one that doesn't have adequate strength and support in the roof construction to protect the passengers in the event of a rollover.

Factors that can make a car more likely to tip over in an accident include:

• A high center of gravity
• Incorrect wheel base design
• Defective tires

High Center of Gravity

Cars that have a high center of gravity, sometimes called top-heavy vehicles, are more susceptible to rollover because their design makes them unstable. Early sport utility vehicles were notoriously top-heavy, and although many manufacturers have designed their newer SUVs with better balance, some still have a dangerously high center of gravity. Any auto accident or product liability attorney should be familiar with these kinds of vehicles, as they have been the cause of so many unnecessary accidents.

Wheel Base Design

One factor that contributes to SUV instability is the wheel base design. Most passenger cars have approximately the same distance between the wheels, regardless of make or model. This simplifies the manufacturing process and creates a nice standard for lane width and parking space sizes. However, when a car that is longer or wider than average is built on a standard wheel base design, it becomes unstable and more likely to roll.

Defective Tires

Defective tires can contribute to rollover because when a tire blows out, it allows the wheel to come into contact with the road. The wheel will usually catch, or dig into, the surface of the street, and the momentum of the vehicle will push it sideways and over.

Any of these three factors can make a car dangerous, and in combination they can be deadly. But the fact is that any car is capable of rollover under the right conditions, and while car manufacturers are making their cars more capable of enduring front, rear, and side-impact crashes, few passenger cars or SUVs have roofs that are sturdy enough to protect their passengers in a rollover. If you or a loved one has been involved in a rollover accident in Seattle or another area of Washington, contact an auto accident and product liability attorney at Phillips & Webster.

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Why Rollover Accidents Are More Dangerous

Rollovers are still the rarest type of auto accident, yet they are still among the most deadly. According to the Traffic Safety Facts 2005, compiled by the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, a division of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, rollover accidents only accounted for 2.3 percent of total accidents in 2005. However, they made up 10.9 percent of all fatal accidents, exceeded only by accidents involving a pedestrian (11.5 percent) and angle-impact accidents (20.7 percent), which are the second most common type of collision on the road.

The rare occurrence of rollovers is a part of what makes them so dangerous. Because they are less common than other types of crashes, there has not been a lot of research put into making cars that can withstand them. Gas tanks, engine bays, doors, and windshields are now designed in such a way as to minimize potential harm to the driver or passengers inside the car during a collision, but most roofs will still crumple and collapse, trapping or causing serious injury to the people inside.

Testing Crashworthiness

Auto manufacturers are required to test their vehicles for crashworthiness in all areas, including roof crush. However, the current standard test for roof crush durability involves pressing down on the roof with 1 ½ times the vehicle's weight. Many believe that this test does not accurately mimic the forces sustained by the car during a rollover accident and are pushing for a better test. Some auto manufacturers argue that a new test would be expensive to implement and would not save enough lives to make it worth the cost.

Automobile makers have a responsibility to consider the safety of their customers when designing their vehicles. When manufacturers create cars that are prone to rollover accidents or will not protect the occupants in the event of one, they fail to uphold that responsibility. If a rollover accident has occurred, causing serious personal injury or wrongful death within your immediate family, contact our Woodinville, Bellevue, or Seattle, Washington office to schedule a case review with a product liability and auto accident attorney from Phillips & Webster.

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Contact Seattle, Washington Area Product Liability Attorney

Contact our Seattle, Washington-area law firm today to speak with an auto accident and product liability attorney about your rollover accident case. The attorneys at Phillips & Webster are prepared to help you pursue justice and the financial compensation you deserve.

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