Most of us think of rollover motor vehicle accidents and associate with SUVs, converted passenger vans or buses. Rollover accidents occur with regularity to other motor vehicles, including the typical sedan, vans and pickup trucks. Rollover accidents can occur with any type of motor vehicle. Some rollovers occur when a family style four-door sedan is pulling a trailer of some kind and because of the loss of control and the weight of the trailer load, rollover accidents occur commonly. Rollover accidents have a higher potential for fatality than most other type of vehicle crashes.
To reduce the frequency of rollover crashes, drivers should be diligent about steering technique and not overcorrect steering in a panicked attempt to avoid an object in the roadway such as an animal that suddenly appears or a patch of snow or ice on the road or highway. If driving at highway speeds overcorrecting or sudden, excessive steering is a way that a driver could lose control of the vehicle and thus cause a rollover. Overcorrected steering can also cause a vehicle to move in a sideways direction and then roll over.
In case your vehicle leaves the road or highway for any reason, reducing speed gradually is the safest way to allow the driver to ease back on the roadway and avoid a possible rollover if the adjustments are done too quickly.
Many rollover crashes take place on rural roads where there is a likelihood of a two-way road without a divider or barrier between traffic. If a car or truck or van travels off the road in a rural setting, the vehicle may run over or into an impression in the ground or a ditch that could overturn the vehicle. The National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 75% of all rollover car crashes take place in rural areas. That makes driving in such locations a hazard that must be noticed by driving carefully and particularly at night.
Low tire pressure is another common cause of rollover accidents. Tire pressures that are lower than prescribed makes it more difficult to control and maintain the vehicle in operation. Also worn or bare tires may cause a sideways slide of the vehicle, van or truck in wet weather or on slick pavements that can also result in a rollover. Underinflated tires wear down the treads in tires faster than if the tires are correctly inflated.
Rollover accidents can happen also on impact with other vehicles or trucks. But a one-vehicle rollover accident can occur because of road conditions, weather, debris on the highway or road, stopped vehicles in the roadway and other unusual conditions, including defective brakes and tires.
In addition to physical conditions that may cause a rollover of a motor vehicle, driver negligence is also a part that contributes to rollover accidents in Illinois. A driver who makes a sudden or abrupt maneuver with a vehicle can cause a rollover.
In any rollover accident, the burden of proof is on the party that brings the lawsuit and who claims negligence for the injuries or death caused by another person. The party who brings a product liability claim, that is a lawsuit asserting that the vehicle or a part of the vehicle was designed or manufactured with defects that caused the injuries or death must be able to prove to a preponderance of the evidence that more probably true than not the cause of such injuries or death was the fault of that manufacturer and distributor.
If you or someone you know has been injured or died as a result of a rollover accident, please call us for an immediate free consultation.
Robert Kreisman of Kreisman Law Offices has been successfully handling Chicago and Illinois rollover car, van, bus and truck accident cases for more than 40 years.
Kreisman Law Offices has prevailed in trials and settlements in Chicago, Illinois and surrounding areas resolving cases for severely injured clients for over these many years.
With our years of experience in trying and settling rollover accident cases in Illinois, Kreisman Law Offices provides the best possible services to our clients. Our service is unmatched. Please call us 24 hours a day at 312.346.0045 or toll free 800.583.8002 for a free and immediate consultation, or complete a contact form online. There is no charge for a consultation that will include an evaluation of your case, assessment of your damages such as lost income, lost wages, medical and hospital bills, past and future pain and suffering, loss of normal life and wrongful death.