SUV rollover accidents: Do SUVs cause, or contribute to, rollover accidents?

Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) are more prone to rollover than any other type of vehicle. An SUV's high center of gravity makes it more likely to tip during sudden maneuvers. Light trucks and vans also pose a greater danger than cars. These vehicles also have a higher center of gravity. When you raise the center of gravity of a vehicle, it becomes unstable.

Jeffrey W. Runge, director of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, stresses that occupants of SUVs are 3 times more likely to die in a rollover accident than those in a typical passenger vehicle.

Dr. Runge stated that SUV owners have a mistaken sense of safety because they are high above the ground. Manufacturers of SUVs have developed some safety devices for these vehicles; however, most of these features are optional and few customers are requesting them.

Between 2001 and 2002, there was an increase of 734 auto-related deaths. Drivers of SUVs and pick-up trucks accounted for 53% of this increase. Dr. Runge wants the government to mandate safety standards that address rollover and side impact crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will be releasing its plan for rollover testing under real-world conditions.

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