Frequently Asked Questions about Vehicle Rollovers

How serious is the motor vehicle rollover problem in the U.S. today?

Single-vehicle rollovers (for all vehicles, not just SUVs) cause more fatalities than any other kind of motor-vehicle accident -- one-quarter of all deaths yearly. Recent estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that in 2002, more than 60 percent of SUV-related deaths are related to rollovers.

Do SUVs have higher rollover rates than other types of vehicles?

NHTSA studies reveal that SUVs had the highest rollover involvement rate of any vehicle type in fatal crashes - 36 percent, as compared with 24 percent for pickups, 19 percent for vans and 15 percent for traffic cars. SUVs also had the highest rollover rate for passenger vehicles in injury crashes - 12 percent, as compared to 7 percent for pickups, 4 percent for vans and 3 percent for passenger cars.

Are SUVs safer or more dangerous than other vehicles in non-rollover crashes, such as front- and side-impact collisions?

SUVs offer better protection to their own occupants in multi-vehicle crashes, such as front- and side-impact collisions. However, SUVs are more likely to injure or kill the occupants of other vehicles in a crash.

What can be done to improve the stability of SUVs and make them less likely to roll over?

Engineers and safety experts have long agreed that the best way for manufacturers to make SUVs less likely to roll over is to lower the center of gravity and widen the wheel track. However, such fundamental changes to an SUV's design are costly, and automakers have often chosen less expensive design modifications.

What can the driver do to reduce rollover risk?

The NHTSA recommends the following:

• Avoid conditions that could lead to loss of vehicle control, such as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving when excessively drowsy, or speeding.
• Be careful on rural roads.
• If your vehicle should go off the road, gradually reduce the vehicle speed and then ease the vehicle back on to the roadway, rather than respond with extreme, panicked steering.
• Maintain tires properly and replace them when necessary.
• Load vehicles properly and avoid overloading.

What does the NHTSA'S rollover resistance rating mean?

The Rollover Resistance Ratings are based on Static Stability Factor, which is essentially a measure of how top heavy a vehicle is. The Rollover Resistance Ratings of vehicles were compared to 220,000 actual single vehicle crashes, and the ratings were found to relate very closely to the real-world rollover experience of vehicles. Based on these studies, NHTSA found that taller, narrower vehicles, such as sport utility vehicles, are more likely than lower, wider vehicles, such as passenger cars, to trip and roll over once they leave the roadway. Accordingly, NHTSA awards more stars to wider and/or lower vehicles. The Rollover Resistance Rating, however, does not address the causes of the driver losing control and the vehicle leaving the roadway in the first place.

Is the Ford Explorer more rollover-prone than the dozens of other SUVs? According to federal data and safety ratings, the four-door Explorer's rollover record is pretty typical of midsize SUVs.

Return to Main