Nearly one out of every four vehicle related fatalities occurring nationwide involve vehicle rollover accidents, claiming the lives of approximately 10,000 individuals every year. Survivors of a rollover crash in Rhode Island and across the United States often suffer catastrophic injuries and lifelong disabilities including quadriplegia, paraplegia and traumatic brain injuries. Often times, the vehicle occupants are ejected from inside and suffer additional injuries or death.
Rhode Island rollover accident lawyer
There are numerous factors contributing to a potential rollover accident in Rhode Island that include:
• The lack of tire traction on slippery or oily surfaces
• Traveling at too great a speed to handle sudden turns or curbs
• Making certain maneuvers that cause a rollover due to a high center of gravity
• Poor road conditions and severe inclement weather
Preventing or Surviving a Rollover Crash in RI
There are specific steps that every driver and occupant inside the motor vehicle can take to prevent or survive the catastrophic consequences of a rollover accident. These include:
• Buckle up – The safest place and occupant can be when involved in a serious rollover accident in Rhode Island is to remain inside the vehicle throughout the event. Nearly 3 out of every four individuals involved in rollover accidents are killed because they were ejected from the vehicle.
• Check the Tires – Properly inflated tires in good shape help maintain traction on the roadway to overcome slippery surfaces, quick turns and road hazards. Inflate the tire pressure as recommended by the car’s manufacturer.
• Drive a New Vehicle – The national Highway traffic safety administration statistics indicate new vehicles involved in accidents produce fewer fatalities than old cars and trucks. Most likely, ESC technology (electronic stability control) on new vehicles helps stabilize steering during difficult maneuvers and bad road conditions. In addition, new vehicles have better design and stricter government testing to increase safety.
• Never Overload the Vehicle – Vehicles with heavier weight than their design suffered decrease stability on the roadway. Pickup trucks and SUVs tend to be more dangerous to operate when loaded then when empty. To increase stability, evenly distribute heavy cargo by positioning it near the center the vehicle and low to the floor.
• Check Your Speed – Operating the vehicle at a faster speed increases its potential of being involved in a rollover. In fact, excessive speed is involved in approximately four out of every 10 fatal vehicle rollover accidents.
• Increase Your Awareness – undivided highways and rural roads without barriers contribute to the potential of a rollover accident, especially when vehicles are traveling 55 miles an hour or greater. When driving in these areas, increase your awareness and lower your speed to minimize the potential of rolling over.
• Avoid Panic Reactions – Quick reactions or panic movements tend to cause a steering overcorrection. When this maneuver happens at high speed, it easily increases the potential of a rollover. If leaving the road unexpectedly is unavoidable, gradually reduce the vehicles speed before slowly easing back up onto the road.
• Avoid Distractions – Before leaving for your destination, it is imperative to turn off all devices inside the vehicle that could distract you from driving. Turn off smart phones and tablets or set the ringer to vibrate until a vehicle arrives at its destination. If using GPS navigation, input the information before leaving to avoid being distracted while moving.
Driving defensively in Rhode Island
Driving your vehicle takes focus and concentration. It is imperative to watch the roadway to drive defensively and safely. Staying active behind the wheel keeps you, passengers in the vehicle out of trouble and minimizes the potential of being involved in a rollover.
If you have suffered serious injuries in a Providence Rhode Island vehicle or car accident involved in a rollover, is essential to contact a reputable Rhode Island personal injury attorney experiencing handling these complex legal cases. Rollover vehicle accident claims and lawsuits in Providence Superior Court are usually accepted on contingency and all legal out of pocket costs are paid through a jury award or out of court settlement. Reputable RI law firms will offer a free initial consultation to provide answers to questions concerning your claim. An aggressive Rhode Island car accident attorney working on your behalf will ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
“By far the largest number of motor vehicle crash deaths are occupants of passenger vehicles including cars, minivans, pickups, SUVs and cargo/large passenger vans. The likelihood of crash death varies markedly among these vehicle types according to size. Small/light vehicles have less structure and size to absorb crash energy, so crash forces on occupants will be higher. People in lighter vehicles are at a disadvantage in collisions with heavier vehicles. 1 Pickups and SUVs are proportionally more likely than cars to be in fatal single-vehicle crashes, especially rollovers. However, pickups and SUVs generally are heavier than cars, so occupant deaths in SUVs and pickups are less likely to occur in multiple-vehicle crashes.” Insurance Institute for highway safety , Fatality Stats- General statistics, Crashes took 32,675 lives in the U.S. in 2014. http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/general-statistics/fatalityfacts/passenger-vehicles
http://www.nhtsa.gov/Research/Vehicle+Dynamic+Rollover+Propensity