During a rollover accident, a vehicle turns over on its side or roof. This usually happens when the vehicle is turning too sharply while moving too fast. While all cars are capable of rolling over, vehicles with a high center of gravity and narrow tire track are more likely to roll over, particularly at high speeds and on wet or icy roads.

SUVs Most Likely to Roll Over

Rollover crashes account for 35 percent of all passenger vehicle fatalities and more than 10,000 people a year are killed in these kinds of accidents.

Rollovers came into the public spotlight several years ago when the Ford Motor Company recalled many Ford Explorers that used Bridgestone/Firestone tires. In many high-profile cases, the tires in question failed during high speed driving and contributed to rollovers.

Since sport utility vehicles (SUVs) make up a large percentage of the nation’s passenger vehicle fleet and rollovers continue to be a concern -- particularly in their earlier designs.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) declared rollover safety a priority issue several years ago. Engineers and safety experts have long agreed that the best way for manufacturers to make SUVs more stable (less likely to roll over) is to lower the center of gravity and widen the wheel track. However, such fundamental changes to an SUV's design are costly, and auto manufacturers have been slow to make effective design modifications.

However, pressure from the marketplace has brought the message home. Big, truck-style SUVs aren’t selling as well as they used to -- especially with the escalating cost of fuel. This has given way to the safer and more fuel-efficient “crossover” vehicles, which are slimmer, lower and blend SUV and car features.

Precautions

Many SUV models come equipped with safety mechanisms designed to reduce injury and death during a rollover accident including:

Electronic Stability Control: Electronic stability control (ESC) uses automatic computer-controlled braking of individual wheels to help the driver maintain control in situations where a vehicle without ESC would skid out of control and likely leave the road.

The NHTSA—one of the two most-cited agencies for data on vehicle safety—urges that all auto manufacturers be required to install electronic stability control (ESC) as a standard feature on new passenger vehicles. A 2004 study by NHTSA estimated that ESC reduced fatalities in single-vehicle crashes by 30 percent for passenger cars and 63 percent for SUVs. Since 2004, some car manufacturers have voluntarily installed ESC on new models; only 29 percent of all 2006 models—57 percent of SUVs—come equipped with ESC. Nearly all rollover crashes occur after a vehicle leaves the road. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a new federal rule will require ESC in all cars, SUVs, pickups, and minivans by the 2012 model year. Under the final rule NHTSA issued in April 2007, 55 percent of 2009 models, 75 percent of 2010 models, 95 percent of 2011 models and 100 percent of 2012 models must have ESC.

Seat Belts: Wearing a seat belt may reduce the risk of death during a rollover by 75 percent.

Rollover Air Bags: In addition to protecting drivers’ or passengers’ heads during a side-impact crash, some side-impact head air bags, or “curtains,” can also protect riders from injury and ejection during a rollover crash.

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Car and SUV Rollover Resources AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety: AAA’s summary of rollover information.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): Five star crash tests and rollover ratings since 1990 for vehicles by class, year, make and model.

SUV Owners of America: SUVOA is a national association for SUV owners and operators.