Rollover Accident and Injury Lawyers of Southern California
Rollover accidents are one of the most dangerous kinds of vehicle crashes, with a fatality rate higher than any other crash type. Serious injury and death are common in rollovers due to the severity and violence of the rolling over incident. Many causes for roll over accidents exist, and it's not just SUV's (sports utility vehicles) that are at risk. Cars, vans, buses and trucks are all susceptible to rollover crashes. If you have been involved in a rollover accident in California, please contact an experienced attorney immediately for help by calling 1-800-ALAWPRO for your free consultation.

Rollover Crash Causes
Multiple factors can contribute to a car, van or truck rolling over, including vehicle type, road conditions, speed, and driver behavior. Due to the severe and complex nature of rollovers, the cause and object or person at fault may not always be clear. Following are some causes and risk factors for rollover accidents and fatalities.

• Type of Vehicle: As stated, almost any vehicle can rollover. Nevertheless, certain design elements can increase the risk of a rollover accident. Vehicles with a high center of gravity, and/or those that are tall and narrow, such as SUV's, minivans and pickup trucks, have a high incidence and risk of rolling over.
• Road Conditions: Poorly maintained roads and highways can cause a rollover.
• Speed: Speed often plays a role in death from rollover crashes. Almost 75% of fatal rollover crashes happen in a 55 MPH or higher zone, while 40% of all rollovers deaths involve speeding.
• Driver Behavior: Most rollover accidents happen in single vehicle events and during ever day or routine driving maneuvers, such as turning right or left or exiting a highway. Contributing factor to rollovers in these cases may include:
  • Driver Distraction, such as cell phone use, distractions within the vehicle including other radio and passengers
  • Speeding, as mentioned above
  • Alcohol, which a factor in almost half of all deadly rollover accidents, or other mind-altering substances
• Location: Rural areas with speed limits of 55 or higher account for more than 70% of fatal rollovers

Rollover Death Statistics
Rollovers are not the most common form of car or vehicle accident, but when they do happen, they are often fatal. A roof caving in or a person being thrown from their car can be frightening and deadly. While only about 3% of all passenger vehicle accidents are rollovers, rollovers account for almost one-third, 33%, of all fatalities. Each year over 10,000 are killed in rollover crashes, with over 70% of deaths happening to people not wearing seatbelts.

Rollover Accident Types
There are two types of rollovers, and they are named for the way in which the roll over occurs: Tripped and Un-tripped. Here is a description of each:

I. Tripped Rollover:
Tripped rollover crashes occur when your car goes off the road, sliding sideways, as a result of getting tripped by a curb, or loose soil or pavement. The force of the tires being tripped causes the rolling over. Nearly all rollover accidents involving a single vehicle are "tripped" rollovers. Electronic Stability Control is a new technology that may automotive makers are including to help prevent rollover crashes.

Tripped Rollover Causes:

• Soft Soil: Caused by poor pavement surfaces, curbs, low guardrails, soft soil, soft road shoulders
• Guardrail: When vehicles traveling at high speed ride up onto an object such as a guardrail, rollover of the vehicle can result.
• Steep Slope: If a motor vehicle is traveling on a road that is too steep it can rollover. This type of accident is possible during while off-roading.

II. Un-Tripped Rollover:
An un-tripped rollover accident is when a vehicle rolls over purely as the result of a driving maneuver, without hitting, or tripping over, an object. Untripped rollovers are most common in vehicles which are top-heavy and moving at high speed, and they are less common that tripped rollover crashes.

Have you or a family member been injured or killed in a rollover accident in California. If yes, please contact a lawyer for help. At the Law Offices of Greenberg & Rudman LLP, we have more than 50 years experience in representing the rights of the injured. Call us toll-free at 1-800-ALAWPRO (1-800-252-9776) for a free and confidential consultation. Get the help you deserve. Call us now.