When are you most likely to roll over? Read on to find out.
3 People Die After Vehicle Falls From Texas 130 in Austin
According to a CBS Austin news report, a vehicle plummeted from an Austin toll road in an early-morning accident this week.
Police reported the incident occurred at around 2:28 a.m. on 700-120 S SH 130 Southbound and Tesla Road on March 3rd. A single vehicle reportedly drove off the toll road for unknown reasons and fell on its roof on the frontage road below. 3 people were inside at the time, and all of them were pinned inside the rolled vehicle. Despite efforts to save them, all three were pronounced dead at the scene. No other vehicles or injuries were reported.
Did You Know?
Rollover accidents are among the most deadly accidents a person can experience.
When Am I Most Likely to be in a Rollover Accident?
Rollover accidents kill roughly 10,000 people per year. Almost all of these accidents are single-vehicle, meaning that impact with another vehicle didn’t cause the rollover.
Crashes like these follow similar patterns — almost all of them are caused by the same elements and mistakes. While a rollover accident can happen anywhere at any time, it’s important to know what circumstances are most likely to lead to a rollover accident so that you can avoid them.
When and Where Do Most Rollover Accidents Happen?
The National Safety Council (NSC) tracks rollover accident data. According to their data, the most deadly time and place for rollover accidents are as follows:
- Spring and Summer — Peak fatal accident times during the spring and summer are from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- November through March — Peak fatal accident times from November through March are from 4 p.m. to 7:59 p.m.
Additionally, most rollover accidents happen on rural roads where the speed limit is 55 m.p.h. or lower.
Why Do Most Rollover Accidents Happen?
The most common causes of rollover accidents are as follows:
- Tripped Vehicles — Tripping happens when a car hits something that makes it rollover (like a curb, pothole, or shoulder). Tripping is the most common cause of a single-vehicle rollover.
- Non-tripping Forces — Poor vehicle design, speeding, improperly loaded cargo, and sudden maneuvers are all non-tripping forces that can cause a vehicle to flip. These types of rollovers are rare, but many SUVs are designed in such a way to make rolling over more likely.
- Defective Vehicles — In extremely rare cases, vehicles can roll over because of a defective part or vehicle.
Behaviors that lead to rollover accidents:
- Speeding — ∼40% of rollovers involved excessive speeding
- Drunk Driving — ∼50% of rollovers involved impaired drivers
- Distracted Driving — No data exists regarding exactly how many rollovers are caused by distracted driving. However, 40% of rollover accidents had no crash-avoidance behavior. Distracted drivers often don’t exhibit crash avoidance behavior.
You are most likely to be in a rollover accident at night on rural roads with high-speed limits if you engage in reckless behavior, drunk driving, or distracted driving. However, you can do everything right and still be injured in a rollover crash that was not your fault.
Injured or Lost a Loved One in a Rollover Accident? Call Carabin Shaw.
You may be entitled to legal compensation for your injuries if you were hurt or lost a loved one in a rollover accident. We can help you find out for free.
Carabin Shaw has represented those injured and bereaved by rollover accidents in Austin for over 30 years. We’re a trusted name because we put our clients first. Call the firm that cares at 800-862-1260 or jump into the live chat to get started. We look forward to serving you.
Contacting a Carabin Shaw attorney is free and does not require you to work with the firm.