Rollover Accidents Are Both Horrific and Preventable

Driving on the wide, flat roads of Florida in the summer when you are 20 years old is a peak experience, but for Joseph Graham, it could have ended abruptly, had he not narrowly avoided disaster.  In June 2024, Graham was driving on South Clay Avenue when he did something that most of us do hundreds of times per day; he looked at his cell phone long enough to read a notification.  When he did this, he lost control of the car, and it slid off the road and struck a utility pole, causing the car to flip over.  When police arrived at the scene, Graham and his friend Peyton Surratt, who was a passenger in the car, declined medical treatment.  Most of the time, when cars overturn, the occupants do not emerge from the experience in good enough shape to persuade the police that they do not need to go to the hospital.  If you have been injured in a car accident where a vehicle overturned, contact a Jacksonville car accident lawyer.

Cars Do Not Roll Over Unless Something Really Bad Happens

Car accidents where a vehicle overturns are not the most common collision scenario; they account for only three percent of car accidents, not including fender benders where the damage is so minor that no one reports the accident to police.  Despite this, they account for more than a quarter of accidents that involve fatalities.  This is because the circumstances that would cause a car to flip over are the same as the circumstances that increase the risk of fatal or catastrophic injury, such as excessive speeds and drunk driving.  A disproportionate number of rollover accidents are single vehicle collisions where the car strikes a tree or utility pole head on or grazes a curb or median.  Another reason that the risk of death is so high in rollover accidents is that they are more likely to eject occupants from the vehicle; staying inside the vehicle increases your chances of survival even if the car overturns, and even if the car was traveling at a high speed.

How to Reduce the Risk of Your Car Overturning in an Accident

Most rollover accidents happen when the driver loses control of the car, drives off the road, and hits a stationary object.  You can reduce the risk of this happening by driving at the speed limit and by reducing your speed on turns and curves.  Slamming on the brakes on a wet road is also the perfect storm for the chain of events that can lead to a rollover accident.  You can also reduce the risk of your vehicle overturning in an accident if your tires are properly balanced and maintained and by avoiding carrying heavier loads inside your car or on top of it than it was meant to handle.

Contact Douglas & Douglas About Car Accident Cases

A North Florida personal injury lawyer can help you if you were injured in a rollover accident.  Contact Douglas & Douglas in Jacksonville, Florida for a free consultation.

Source:
myjournalcourier.com/news/article/utility-pole-crash-19512465.php