Every year, defects in motor vehicles take place that a consumer might not even be aware of. Car safety is extremely important because, if a vehicle is prone to causing an accident due to its defects, lives could be put at risk. Suffering a West Virginia car accident can be a devastating and traumatizing time in your life, which is why it is important to speak with a West Virginia personal injury attorney if you have been injured in an accident that you believe could have been prevented if a manufacturer would have taken care and abided by a standard duty to protect drivers on our roads.
You may have heard that SUV accidents sometimes happen more frequently than other types of accidents on our roads. You might have also heard of roof crush in SUV accidents, which causes a roof to crush inward after an SUV rolls. The space for occupants becomes extremely limited or is taken away completely, which can either crush an occupant to death or eject them through the windshield. A large percentage of those who are ejected out of an SUV after a rollover event had this take place due to the phenomenon of roof crush.
Why SUVs are Not Always the Safest Option on Our Roads
A nationwide survey was conducted recently showing that four in ten residents of the U.S. said that they felt safer in an SUV than any other type of vehicle on our roads. However, according to another set of statistics, SUVs are more likely to roll than any other types of passenger vehicles. SUV rollovers actually account for 37% of all fatal car crashes and many more injuries each year, which shows us that more needs to be done to prevent these serious accidents in West Virginia and beyond.
Many believe that the reason why SUVs are so prone to rollovers is the way that they are designed from the moment that design meets factory. The vehicle does not have the same stability while turning as compared to other types of vehicles. SUVs have one of the highest centers of gravity, which can make them quite unstable when making a fast turn or changing directions in a fast manner.
There are many reasons why these accidents take place on such high levels. SUVs can easily be struck by another vehicle, especially on highways or intersections, which can cause them to abruptly roll onto their sides. SUV accidents can also take place on rural roads where there are more unexpected curves in the roadway and cause a driver to panic steer, which can cause them to drive off the side of the road. In these cases, roof crush might be imminent depending on the make of the SUV.
Why the Design of the SUV is Important for Roof Crush Prevention
There are many ways in which an SUV might lack certain safety measures and roof crush could occur in the blink of an eye. A vehicle’s roof might not have been made strong enough to prevent a total collapse, which could cause serious harm to those inside. SUVs might also be too top-heavy, which are prone to more serious accidents when a driver suddenly loses control of their vehicle.
How a West Virginia Car Accident Attorney Can Help
If you or a loved one have been severely injured in a rollover accident, our car accident attorneys in West Virginia are here to offer our support to you in your time of need. From defective designs to the negligence of other drivers, various parties could be held liable for the injuries you have received. If you are interested in moving forward with a personal injury claim, our attorneys at Katz, Kantor, Stonestreet & Buckner are here to assist you in your time of need. Please contact us at (304) 713-2014 for more information on how we can help.