Rollover accidents are dangerous, often causing severe injuries and even deaths. If involved in one, you first have to understand what causes the accidents and their impacts.
What is Considered a Car Rollover Accident?
A car rollover accident occurs when a vehicle rolls over onto its side or roof from a sudden maneuver or impact with fixed objects. Often, these incidents result in serious injuries or deaths. If you have been hurt, an Anchorage accident lawyer can help you pursue your claim and the compensation you deserve.
Types of Car Rollover Accidents
Rollover accidents vary depending on circumstances and the environment. Each accident entails unique hazards. Here are some types to keep an eye on:
Guardrails
Sometimes, guardrails that are supposed to keep vehicles from going off the road instead cause rollovers. A car hitting a guardrail in high-speed crashes can flip the barrier over.
Soft Soil
Vehicles can quickly be destabilized by soft soil. A car that swerves off the road into loose dirt or mud is likelier to tip over because the car has lost its grip and balance.
Steep Slopes
Steep slopes make rollover incidents more likely. In adverse weather or if they turn too sharply, vehicles can quickly lose traction on an incline and tumble down.
How Car Rollover Accidents Occur
Rollover accidents occur because of multiple factors, such as:
Driver Error
Rollovers are predominantly caused by driver error. Tipping the vehicle over is a momentary lapse in judgment, such as overcorrecting when you veer just slightly off course in a taller, higher-center-of-gravity vehicle.
Negligence Among Drivers
Sometimes, negligent drivers cause other motorists to make evasive maneuvers, such as swerving or slamming on breaks. These sudden actions can destabilize a vehicle and cause rollovers in high-traffic areas.
Driving Recklessly or Carelessly
Rollover is riskier when recklessly driving, that is, speeding or doing aggressive maneuvers. Drivers are less in control of the vehicle, especially on uneven terrain or sharp curves.
The Effects and Repercussions of Rollover Accidents
Rollover accidents do not only cause physical injuries. They also affect victims financially and emotionally.
Risk of Death and Serious Injuries
Passengers without seat belts are at high risk for fatality from rollover accidents. The survivors face critical injuries, such as spinal fractures and traumatic brain injuries, that require lengthy periods of recovery.
Effect on Finances and Emotional Stress
A rollover accident can affect your finances significantly. Families are already in distress because of medical bills, lost wages, and long-term rehabilitation costs.
The best accident lawyers can provide legal assistance to accident victims, help them reduce their financial burden, and emotionally support them in their search for justice.
Car rollover accidents have devastating physical and financial consequences. Knowing their causes, types, and impacts can help you determine when you need legal help if you are affected. Being in an accident is enough of an inconvenience. Let the lawyer take care of the rest!
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Ryan Thorne 