There are a number of vehicle aspects that are designed to keep occupants safe in the event of a rollover. The safety cage and structure are two of the most important of these aspects.
The Safety Cage
Different parts of the occupant protection system—such as the vehicle’s roof structure, restraint system, side window glazing, door latches, interior padding, and side curtain air bags—should work together to protect occupants in rollover accidents. These components together function as a “safety cage” which should keep vehicle occupants safe from serious injury or death in most rollover accidents.
Like many other systems, if one component of the system fails, the system as a whole fails. When this occurs, an occupant who might otherwise have suffered minor injuries or escaped injury altogether may instead be severely injured or killed.
Roof Structure
Severe head trauma and spinal cord injuries are probable when a vehicle’s roof collapses into the survival space in a rollover. The entire roof structure should be designed as an integrated safety cage that will protect the occupants’ survival space.
This requires structural integrity and strength of the roof system, including the roof pillars. High‑strength steel, increased metal thickness, tubular steel reinforcements within the existing pillars, and structural reinforcement at the pillar roof junction contribute to the structural integrity and strength of the roof system.
Moreover, the pillars, the windshield header (the structural member at the top of the windshield and between the A‑pillars), the rear window header, and the roof side rails should each form a closed‑box structure rather than an open structure. A closed‑box structure is stronger than an open structure.
Unnecessary holes and cutouts can weaken parts of the structure and should therefore be eliminated. Rigid structural foam should be used in the pillars and headers. This can double or even triple the component structure’s strength.
We Depend On Vehicle Manufacturers to Keep Us Safe in Rollover Accidents
Rollover accidents are foreseeable. Each year, thousands of people are injured in the course of rollover accidents.
It’s important that all manufacturers realized this, and that they do all that they can to ensure our safety in the event of a rollover accident.
When rollover accidents result in serious injury and death, our firm investigates to determine why.
Those injured and the family members of those killed have the right to know what happened; particularly if the injuries or death could have been prevented.
If you or a family member has been involved in a rollover accident, please call me. I will meet with you at your convenience for a no-cost consultation. If our firm is retained, we will work for you on a contingency fee basis (you will not owe us for any fees unless we recover for you).
We will fully investigate your case to determine all parties who may be responsible for your accident. Upon your approval, we will then bring a lawsuit against them and seek to hold them fully accountable for the damages and injuries resulting from their negligent actions or defective products. Because it’s important to ensure that important evidence is preserved, please seek legal representation as soon as possible following the accident.