Rollover accidents represent one the most severe types of traffic crashes. Statistical data and the accumulated experience of a Villa Rica car accident lawyer indicate that a rollover results in a high percentage of passenger fatalities.
For this reason, it is important to understand how these accidents happen in order to avoid them. If you were injured in a rollover crash, an experienced attorney at Hartley, Rowe & Fowler will help you obtain compensation.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Rollover Crashes?
Statistical data indicates that 76% of vehicle rollovers are caused by collision with another vehicle and 24% of them occur without collision. In the case of rollover accidents not involving getting hit by another car, the available data further indicates that SUVs are more likely to tip over and roll over.
Rollover crashes resulting from a collision with another accident are often caused by:
Speeding
When another car hits yours at very high speed, your car may roll over, sometimes to one side, in other cases making several rotations. The mechanics of the rollover and the impact of the high speed collision is often a fatal combination for passengers in the car.
Multi-Car Pile-Ups
Chain collisions are extremely dangerous, because a car can get hit with the accumulated force of several vehicles behind them. In this situation, it can tip over and roll either sideways or front to back.
In this scenario, liability is more difficult to determine, because several drivers may be at fault.
Defective Road Infrastructure
A car hit by another vehicle can roll over if the shoulder of the road is not wide enough or properly maintained. In this case, you may be eligible to file a claim against the authority in charge of road maintenance, as well.
Worn-Out Tires
In some cases, a car will cause a rollover accident because it has worn-out tires with reduced grip on the road. Although the driver applied the brakes, the car will hit another vehicle. Since all drivers are responsible to keep their vehicles roadworthy, you have a valid claim even in this instance.
How to Prevent Rollover Accidents
An experienced Villa Rica car accident lawyer knows that you cannot avoid all crashes. However, certain measures will help you reduce the risk of getting involved in a rollover accident or suffering severe injuries. These are:
Always Wear the Seatbelt
A scientific study demonstrated that 70% of the drivers and passengers who wore the seatbelt were not ejected from the vehicle during a rollover crash. The ejection is one of the leading cases of rollover crash deaths, so the seatbelt can save your life. Make sure that both you and all your passengers wear it.
Drive a Car with Modern Safety Features
Older cars are less reliable and do not have airbags and other safety features for backseat passengers. If you need solid reasons to upgrade your old cars, then safety and prevention of severe injuries are the most important.
Also, do not forget to replace your tires when they get worn out.
Give a Wide Berth to Aggressive and Speeding Drivers
Always try to prevent accidents in any way you can. Change lanes and do not engage in any conflict with tailgating and speeding drivers. Let them have a wide berth, if possible. Your life is more valuable than whoever has the right to stay on a lane.
How to Seek Compensation after a Rollover Accident
If you are injured in a rollover crash, make sure that you follow these steps to protect your legal right to file a claim:
- Report the accident to the police
- Take photos and videos of the accident scene
- Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver
- Seek medical attention immediately after the crash
- Do not talk to an insurance adjuster without talking with a lawyer
Schedule a Free Case Review with a Villa Rica Car Accident Lawyer!
The most important thing to remember after a rollover accident is to seek medical attention and continue all the treatments recommended by the doctor. Do not worry about the hospital bills or lost wages. An experienced Villa Rica car accident lawyer will make sure that you recover all eligible damages from the at fault driver’s insurance company.
We offer each new client a free case evaluation, so call us at 678-825-6004!
