The number of rollover accidents has increased as more SUVs, light trucks, and pickup trucks are sold. Light trucks, which are more prone to roll over than cars because of their higher centers of gravity, now account for more than half of all new vehicles sold. Current Designs of Seat Beats Reportedly Inadequate In Rollover Crashes Going against evidence and criticism of the design of SUVs and pickup trucks as posing too great a risk of a rolling over, automakers regularly state that the drivers and passengers killed during rollovers died because they were not wearing seat belts, even though seat belt use is at all time high levels. The primary benefit of a seat belt in rollovers is to prevent ejection. Yet, in many rollover accidents, seat belts fail to perform as expected. Seatbelts can release during an impact and that "slack" in the belt can allow properly seatbelted occupants to move within the vehicle - or worse - be ejected out of the vehicle. For numerous reasons, properly seatbelted occupants can be injured in rollover collisions, and other impacts, because of defects in the vehicle's safety equipment. In SUV rollover accidents where the roof crushed, even properly seatbelted occupants can be injured or killed. People who have been injured in SUV rollover accidents or other vehicle crashes, or family members of loved ones who have died, should immediately contact us for an evaluation of their claim.
