ROLLOVER

Introduction

A rollover crash is a vehicular accident that is by nature, very violent as this type of
crash is far more likely to result in the loss of life. While rollovers occur only in about three
percent of all serious crashes, they account for about 30 percent of people killed while traveling
in passenger vehicles.

By far the deadliest risk facing SUV, minivan, and truck occupants is a rollover accident.
According to NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), more than 280,000
rollover accidents are reported each year, claiming more than 10,000 lives annually.

In 2003, 35.7 percent of fatal SUV crashes resulted in a rollover. That same year just 15.8 of
fatal passenger car accidents resulted in a rollover. What this statistic points out is the fact that
SUVs are much more likely to rollover in serious accidents. Compounding the issue is the fact
that SUVs often carry heavy loads with make them even more top-heavy and thus are more
likely to be involved in rollover accidents.

A rollover crash is a vehicular accident that is by nature, very violent as this type of crash is far
more likely to result in the loss of life. While rollovers occur only in about three percent of all
serious crashes, they account for about 30 percent of people killed while traveling in passenger
vehicles.

Motor vehicle rollovers have been a source of concern for more than 30 years, not
only because of the resulting fatalities and injuries, but also because they carry a relatively
high risk of occupant death or injury as compared with other types of crashes. In 1999,
10,142 people were killed in light-vehicle1 rollovers—almost a quarter of the 41,717 traffic
crash victims in the United States for that year.2 During the period 1995–1999, 7 percent of
light-vehicle tow-away crashes involved rollover, but these crashes accounted for 31
percent of light-vehicle occupant fatalities (Kratzke 2001). The risk of death or injury is
particularly high for single-vehicle rollovers, which represent approximately 80 percent of
light-vehicle rollover crashes (Garrott and Boyd 2001). The Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety (2000, 1) has noted that “single-vehicle crashes involving rollover
accounted for 43 occupant deaths per million registered passenger vehicles in 1999,
compared with 10 deaths per million in multiple-vehicle crashes.” In 1999, 8,345 people
were killed in single-vehicle rollovers, representing 26 percent of all light-vehicle occupant
fatalities3 for that year, and during the period 1995–1999, an average of 19,000 people
annually suffered severe injuries in such crashes (Garrott and Boyd 2001). These data
indicate that a reduction in light-vehicle rollovers—particularly those involving single
vehicles—would likely lead to a decrease in the total numbers of occupant deaths and
injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes.
All automobile crashes—including rollovers—are complex events. Three main factors,
and interactions among them, contribute to a crash: the driver, the driving environment
(e.g., weather and road conditions, time of day), and the vehicle. Most experts acknowledge
that reductions in the number of deaths and the number and severity of injuries associated
with rollover likely would result from a combination of
 Changes in driver behavior, notably an increase in seat belt use;
 Design improvements in both roadsides and roadside structures, particularly
in rural areas; and

Cars roll over for a number of reasons. The injuries that result are often catastrophic
or fatal, and according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), rollover accidents are second only to head-on collisions in their severity.

Rollovers constituted about 29% of all light vehicle fatalities from 1992-1996 and
accounted for almost 35% of fatal passenger car crashes in 2010.

Certain light passenger cars, such as sports utility vehicles, are particularly well
known for their rollovers. A rollover can result in a passenger being ejected from the
car or the car's roof collapsing onto the people inside the car. Most rollover crash
fatalities involve only one vehicle.

Rollover accidents often occur because of "tripping," which happens when a car's
tire hits something, like a curb or bump or soft soil, which disrupts the forward
motion of the car, causing it to roll forward or sideways. The NHTSA has estimated
that 95% of all rollover accidents involving one vehicle are caused by tripping.

Other reasons for a rollover have to do with car design, dangerous roadways, or
defective tires. For example, SUVs and minivans have a higher center of gravity
than ordinary passenger cars and are therefore more likely to roll, particularly if the
car has a defective design. Additionally, other drivers' negligence or weather
conditions can increase the risk of a rollover.

A rollover crash is a vehicular accident that is by nature, very violent as this type of crash is far more likely to
result in the loss of life. While rollovers occur only in about three percent of all serious crashes, they account
for about 30 percent of people killed while traveling in passenger vehicles.
Objectives:

This study aims to determine the following :

1. To determine

2. To know the different causes of rollover.

3. To determine the incidence and outcomes of ROCs with or without ejection of occupants.