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One of the biggest misconceptions about SUV’s is that they are somehow safer than a sedan or sports car. In fact, SUV’s can be very dangerous to drive. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over 60% of fatalities that occurred in vehicle rollover accidents happened to drivers and passengers that were in sport utility vehicles.
Numbers that high simply can’t be written off as a coincidence or bad luck. And while the reckless driving of others is certainly a factor, one of the major reasons for these startlingly high numbers is that the very design of a typical SUV lends itself to vehicle rollovers.
Higher Up, More Dangerous
It is often said by SUV drivers that they feel safer because the higher vantage point of an SUV allows them to better see the traffic around them. While that might be the case, the higher vantage point also brings a higher center of gravity. This can be dangerous when SUV’s take turns at higher rates of speed, since a higher center of gravity means less stability.
Inadequate Adaptations
Sport Utility Vehicles were initially designed for off-road driving. Their transformation into fashionable vehicles that are used for regular daily driving meant that certain aspects of the vehicle that were crucial towards safety were removed. SUV’s that were used for off-roading had roll bars and sturdy roofs. The mass marketed version of the SUV had neither.
Bigger is Not Better
The idea that your vehicle is big and heavy would lead you to believe that you would have a better chance of walking away unscathed in the event of a wreck. This is not the case. A bigger and heavier car means that you are carrying more momentum, which makes it harder for you to stop. If a big SUV gets into an accident, or more specifically, if it rolls over in the course of the wreck, the weight and size of the vehicle not only makes it more difficult to come to a complete stop, but also poses a greater danger to those nearby. Accidents involving SUV’s routinely cause greater damage to people and property. And if you also factor in the lack of roll bars and weak roofs, the chances for serious injuries to the driver and passengers of the SUV increase a great deal.
While many accidents involving SUV’s can certainly be traced to driver error, design flaws in the SUV make the consequences of an accident that much more severe. It is also obvious that these design flaws help cause accidents, and that is unacceptable to us.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, contact our offices for a legal consultation today.
Brunnock & Fleming, P.C.
1776 On The Green
67 Park Place
5th Floor
Morristown, NJ 07960
Phone: (973) 898-3700
Fax: (973) 898-6766
Toll Free: (800) 378-6206