How to rollover accidents occur?

As a driver in Kentucky, you should be aware of all of the potential dangers that you may meet on the road. This includes rollover accidents, which you may have heard about before, but you may not know the details of.

The American Automobile Association’s Foundation for Traffic Safety states that there are many reasons for rollover accidents. However, the top reason is sudden swerving, which can occur when:

• Avoiding stopped cars
• When animals or people suddenly run into the road
• Overcorrecting if you start to veer
• Dropping something and attempting to pick it up while driving

Essentially, anything that causes you to make a sudden, sharp change in the direction you are traveling may cause a rollover accident.

It was also estimated that roughly 40 percent of rollover accidents involve speed to some degree. Three out of four of every fatal rollover accident occurred at speeds of 55 mph or higher. Vehicles become harder to control the faster they go, so this is likely not a big surprise. Similarly, in around 50 percent of all fatal rollovers, there was some form of alcohol consumption, though this does not necessarily mean that the drivers were above the legal limit.

It is also suggested that you limit the number of passengers in your car, or the weight of items that you are transporting. The heavier your vehicle is, the more likely a tipping scenario is if you do end up turning too quickly. This is because, when your car swerves, force immediately builds on one side. That force will push you and other occupants in the same direction that the car is swerving, thereby giving it more momentum and increasing the chance that it will roll. By watching your car’s weight, you can help lower your chances of getting into a rollover accident.