The annual toll of traffic crashes in our country is too high. In 2001, over 42,000 people were killed on the nation's highways and an additional 3 million suffered serious injuries. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death and disability for Americans between the ages of two and 33. Traffic crashes are not only a great public health problem for our nation, but also a significant economic burden. The average cost for a critically-injured survivor of a motor vehicle crash is estimated at $1.1 million over their lifetime. This figure does not even begin to reflect the physical and psychological suffering of the victims and their families.

A rollover is a crash in which the vehicle revolves at least one-quarter turn, regardless of whether the vehicle ends up laying on its side, roof or even returning upright on all four wheels. Rollovers occur in multiple ways. Most rollovers are "tripped," that is the vehicle rolls over after leaving the roadway striking a curb, soft shoulder, guardrail, or other object that "trips" it. A small percentage of rollovers are caused by events are "untripped" and caused by tire defects. Rollover crashes are infrequent, but dangerous events. The 2001 Fatality Analysis Reporting Systems (FARS) tells us that over 10,000 individuals were killed as occupants of light vehicles in rollover crashes. Of those, about 8,400 were killed in single-vehicle rollover crashes. Rollovers in SUVs are the leading cause of severe injury and death to their occupants. Likewise, rollovers are the leading cause of death to pickup truck occupants.

Another danger is roof crushes. During rollover crashes, all occupants, even those who are belted, can sustain head or neck injuries when their heads hit the roof, particularly when the roof is in contact with the ground. Approximately 6,500 people annually have at least one serious injury due to roof contact where some amount of roof intrusion occurs. Over half (3,450) of these injured people were belted.

If you've been injured in an auto rollover, contact Lawrence Baron, baron@baronlawfirm.com or 1-877-417-1117. Also, please go to Lawrence Baron's online contact form.