| The sport utility vehicle (SUV) has the highest rate of | | | | connections. Some use rigid foam within the tubular |
| death in rollover accidents. According to government | | | | cross-members to help strengthen the structure. |
| tests, SUV rollovers are almost three times more | | | | These different safety precautions can significantly |
| likely to occur than in the average passenger car, and | | | | minimize the fatal results of roof crush. |
| the most stable SUV is still more unstable than the | | | | Roof Crush and Rollover |
| most unstable car. In 2002, nearly 11,000 people died | | | | Roof crush injury risks are higher in vehicles with a |
| in rollover accidents, 61 percent of which occurred in | | | | greater propensity to roll over. Because they are |
| SUVs. | | | | taller and narrower, SUVs, or sports utility vehicles, |
| With the number of people killed in SUV rollovers | | | | are three times more likely to roll over in an accident |
| increasing by 14 percent per year, consumers should | | | | than are other passenger cars. In 1973, the |
| be aware of the risks SUVs pose to their families. | | | | government passed Federal Motor Vehicle Safety |
| Even more alarming than the rising rollover statistics is | | | | Standard 216, creating a standard roof strength test |
| the withholding of rollover information by the | | | | to measure the integrity of roof structure in motor |
| government and auto manufacturers. | | | | vehicles. This test was to apply to motor vehicles |
| Sobering Statistics | | | | weighing six thousand pounds or less. Many SUVs |
| Though the number of SUV rollover fatalities | | | | weigh more than this, and are therefore exempt |
| continues to escalate, but SUVs are not being | | | | from compulsory safety standards that may be |
| manufactured to better resist rollover crashes. Not a | | | | crucial to preventing roof crush injury. In light of SUV |
| single SUV earned the federal agency's highest | | | | roof crush injury risks, consumer advocacy groups |
| safety rating, according to an NHTSA report in 2003. | | | | have urged the federal government to modify |
| However, SUV consumption has increased: SUV | | | | standards so that they include any vehicle weighing |
| popularity created a large increase in sales in the | | | | ten thousand pounds or less. |
| 1990s, and because of high consumer demand for | | | | Roof pillars appear strong to the average consumer, |
| these cars, car makers continue to manufacture | | | | but most of them consist of just sheet metal that is |
| SUVs. Because the vehicle has changed from simply | | | | hollow on the inside at the cross sections. When an |
| being an off-road vehicle to a replacement for the | | | | accident occurs involving roof structures with a filled |
| family station wagon, manufacturers removed the roll | | | | inner space, the outcome has been shown to be |
| bar that protects drivers and passengers in a rollover | | | | safer due to a lesser amount of roof crush. |
| situation from SUVs. | | | | Pillars filled with high-density foam can reduce the |
| Many SUV rollover accidents occur because of the | | | | severity of a roof crush significantly, saving lives and |
| unusual propensity the large car has to roll over when | | | | reducing serious injuries. Overall, federal safety |
| steered hard in foreseeable accident avoidance | | | | standards fail to provide roof strength requirements |
| maneuvers. Also, the size and height of an SUV may | | | | that adequately protect people from suffering roof |
| increase the danger of rollovers. SUV defects, like | | | | crush injury in a rollover automobile accident. Despite |
| weak roofs and safety restraint system failures, are | | | | federal standards, many vehicle roofs will easily crush |
| some of the heightened risks involved in an SUV | | | | a foot or more during a rollover accident. More |
| rollover situation. Roof Crush Injury | | | | stringent testing standards and minimum industry |
| Roof crush injury is most often the result of rollover | | | | safety standards must be employed if the |
| automobile accidents. Roof crush injuries kill 10,000 | | | | government hopes to adequately protect people |
| people every year. Vehicle design is supposed to | | | | from sustaining serious roof crush injury in automobile |
| depend on a structural support system that creates | | | | accidents. |
| a "survival space" that protects car occupants in a | | | | If You've Been Injured in an SUV Accident |
| crash from injury due to roof crush. When a vehicle | | | | Though rollover accidents are regarded as highly |
| does not have the proper roof pillar strength, it will | | | | survivable events, the integrity of a vehicle's roof |
| cause the roof to cave into the passenger | | | | structure during impact is crucial. Windshield |
| compartment during an accident. A weak roof makes | | | | reinforcement is a critical component of vehicle |
| a vehicle defective, and roof crushes can cause | | | | design: when a windshield is destroyed in the course |
| serious and fatal injuries, including disabling brain and | | | | of an accident, the strength of the roof is instantly |
| spinal injuries. | | | | reduced by 33 percent. As a result, roof crush injuries |
| Safe Roof Designs | | | | are often extremely serious. Common roof crush |
| Safe roof structure designs have been documented | | | | injuries include neck fractures and other spinal injuries. |
| from as early as the 1930s. Vehicles with the safety | | | | Sometimes a brain injury may result from the roof |
| features mentioned above would reduce the number | | | | crushing in on the vehicle occupant. These head and |
| of roof crush accidents. Despite the availability of | | | | neck injuries can also cause paraplegia, quadriplegia, or |
| safer designs and structures, manufacturers claim it is | | | | other life-altering conditions. |
| the force of the impact that leads to injuries and | | | | If you have suffered injury due to a roof crush car |
| death, notwithstanding the fact that the relationship | | | | crash, you may be eligible for monetary |
| between rollover crashes and injuries from roof crush | | | | compensation due to faulty automobile design. |
| was observed and noted as early as 1932. | | | | Contact an experienced crashworthiness attorney as |
| Safe roofs are equipped with strong roof pillars and | | | | soon as possible. Your crashworthiness lawyer will |
| full-length closed sections, windshield headers and side | | | | help you assess your claim, file a law suit, and get |
| sections, internal baffle plates, strong tubular | | | | the compensation you deserve. |
| cross-members, and reinforcing gussets at the | | | | |