Florida drivers may have been involved in a violent crash known as a rollover. Many rollovers are single-vehicle crashes, and in fact, most of all rollover-related deaths involve only one driver, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Not only that, but 90% of vehicles in fatal rollovers are also involved in ordinary driving maneuvers at the time of the crash.
Rollovers can be complex since they often result from interactions between the driver and the vehicle, the road and the environment, but there are a few factors that commonly explain them. One is excessive speed. Around 40% of all fatal rollovers involve speeding, and areas with a speed limit of 55 mph or faster are the setting for some 75% of all fatal rollovers.
Alcohol intoxication is another factor. Even when they have only a couple drinks, drivers run a high risk for a rollover because alcohol at that level can still give them trouble concentrating or reacting to hazards.
Certain vehicle types, namely those with a higher center of gravity, are more liable to be in a rollover. These vehicles include SUVs, vans and trucks. Certain regions raise the risk, especially rural roads where there are no lane divisions or barriers and where the speed limits tend to be high.
Rollovers, like other motor vehicle crashes, are usually the result of negligence. However, innocent victims might be injured as well, such as passengers in the negligent driver’s car or occupants of other vehicles. They might want to meet with an attorney to discuss how best to seek compensation for the losses that they have incurred.