Rollover Car Accidents in Northglenn

How Does a Rollover Happen?

Sudden or sharp curves in the road are the primary reason for a rollover vehicle accident. Many times the driver does not slow the vehicle sufficiently to take the curve, usually because he or she failed to realize the curve was coming or did not realize it was so sharp. Once a car enters a sharp curve too fast, then a force known as “down” force or tire force pulls the vehicle into the curve—but at ground level. At the same time, inertia forces pull the upper part of the vehicle in the opposite direction. This is a deadly combination of inertia and down forces which—in combination—cause the vehicle to roll to the outer side of the curve. At this point, gravity steps in and creates momentum, which makes the vehicle roll over, usually multiple times.  Another cause of vehicle rollover in Northglenn occurs when a vehicle slides on an icy or wet road and then hits a stationary object. When the vehicle comes to such an abrupt stop, inertia comes into play once more, flipping the vehicle over.

Vehicles Most Prone to Rollover

The Ford Explorer, Suzuki Samurai, Jeep CJ, Isuzu Trooper, and Mitsubishi Montero have been targeted as the most likely to experience rollover accidents; however, all sport utility vehicles are at risk. In addition to sitting up higher—to accommodate the four-wheel drive—the distance between the right and left wheel also becomes a factor. Those vehicles, which are manufactured with a relatively narrow amount of room between the right and left wheels, are more prone to rollover during a sudden turn. Of course, speed is often a factor in these rollover accidents, making it partially unfair to target specific vehicles in Northglenn. So it may be somewhat unfair to target specific vehicles. Owners of these specific vehicles, or any other SUV or 15-passenger van, should be very aware of the potential hazards of the vehicle and adjust their speed accordingly, especially on sharp curves.

Ways to Avoid a Rollover Accident

There are some things you can do to help avoid a rollover crash in Northglenn, such as:

• Always wear your safety belt
• Always make sure your tires are in good shape and properly inflated
• Avoid overloading your vehicle, as this decreases stability
• Never place heavy loads on the roof of your vehicle
• Watch your speed
• Beware of rural roads (almost 3/4ths of fatal rollovers occur on a rural road where the speed limit is 55 mph or more)

Contact Our Experienced Lawyers About Rollover Crashes in Northglenn