SUVs have a higher risk of rollover accidents than most cars. Because they have a wider wheelbase, they also have a higher center of gravity. The resulting ratio between their widths and heights makes SUVs less stable and more prone to overturning.
If your SUV flips over in a car accident in Tampa, FL, the vehicle’s occupants can suffer serious injuries. Thankfully, a Tampa SUV rollover accident lawyer from Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers can help you identify who might bear liability for your injuries and how much you can recover. Contact us for a free case assessment at (813) 686-7588 to learn more.
How Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After an SUV Rollover Accident in Tampa, FL
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers has been serving accident victims in Tampa, Florida, since 1996. Over the past few decades, our Tampa car accident lawyers have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for injured clients.
After a Tampa rollover accident, our attorneys can help you by providing the following:
- A free case evaluation to help you make informed decisions about how to proceed
- A legal team that includes a board-certified civil trial lawyer
- Over 50 years of combined legal experience battling at-fault parties and insurers
Contact our Tampa car accident attorneys for a free consultation to learn about your right to pursue compensation after an SUV rollover crash.
How Many Rollover Accidents Happen in Florida?
Florida’s Crash Facts Report for 2021 provides statistics about the first harmful event that led to each crash reported to police that year. According to the report, single-vehicle rollover accidents caused more injuries than any other type of single-vehicle accident.
In 2021, single-vehicle rollover crashes resulted in the following:
- 134 fatal injuries
- 638 incapacitating injuries
- 1,850 visible, non-incapacitating injuries
- 1,803 possible injuries that produced symptoms that were not visible
Another 3,979 people walked away from rollover crashes without any injuries.
Together, these numbers show that nearly 53% of crash victims in these accidents suffered injury or death in 2021. But worse yet, the Crash Facts Report only provides statistics regarding accidents in which the rollover was the first harmful event. It does not include statistics where the rollover happened after another harmful circumstance.
For example, the report fails to state how often collisions with other vehicles caused SUVs to overturn. As these crashes would be listed as collisions rather than single-vehicle rollovers, the single-vehicle rollover statistics, while enlightening, are ultimately incomplete.
Effects and Causes of SUV Rollover Accidents
One of the many dangers of a rollover accident comes from the stresses placed on the vehicle. If the vehicle only rolls onto its side, it may maintain its structural integrity, but if it completes a full roll, the weight of the vehicle can cause the windows to shatter and the roof to collapse. As a result, the full weight of the vehicle could crush the occupants.
Another serious threat is ejection. Seat belts are designed to restrain occupants during a frontal or rear-end collision, but in a side-impact or rollover crash, the forces on the body can allow it to slide parallel to the seat belt. In the case of a side-impact crash, the body slides toward the door or center console.
In a rollover, the body slides up and out of the seat altogether, which means vehicle occupants can be thrown around inside the rolling vehicle or through the window. In either case, they will likely suffer severe injuries such as broken bones and trauma to the head and chest.
Rollovers transpire when a vehicle’s tires lose contact with the ground as it rolls sideways. SUV rollover accidents can happen for a few reasons, including the following:
Collisions With Other Vehicles or Objects
A collision with another vehicle can send an SUV off the road, and it can roll when it goes up or down an inclined median or shoulder.
An SUV can also roll over if it strikes a fixed object. If the wheels on one side of the vehicle become elevated in relation to the other wheels, the imbalance can cause the vehicle to tip over and roll.
Oversteering
Oversteer, also called over-correction, happens when a driver swerves too far for the vehicle’s speed. The tires slip and skid sideways, and they can potentially dig into the road or ground, causing the vehicle to flip over.
Loss of Control
If the driver loses control of the vehicle, it can exit the road or hit an obstacle that causes it to flip. For example, a slick road surface could cause a driver to lose control and slide sideways on a freeway ramp or run off an overpass, causing the SUV to roll over as it leaves the road.
Mechanical Fault
A blown tire or lost wheel can imbalance the vehicle and cause it to tip over. A mechanical fault can also cause the driver to lose control of the SUV or execute an emergency swerve that sends the vehicle into a rollover.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Tampa SUV Rollover Accident Attorneys
An SUV rollover accident is highly likely to injure the occupants of the vehicle. Contact Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers at (813) 686-7588 for a free consultation to discuss your Tampa, FL rollover accident and the injuries you and your loved ones may have suffered.
