Rollovers occur in One of Two ways: Tripped or Un-tripped.
http://www.safercar.gov/

TYPES OF ROLLOVERS
TRIPPED ROLLOVERS

NHTSA data show that 95% of single-vehicle rollovers are tripped . This happens when a vehicle leaves the roadway and slides sideways, digging its tires into soft soil or striking an object such as a curb or guardrail. The high tripping force applied to the tires in these situations can cause the vehicle to roll over.

Types of tripped rollovers:

Soft Soil
Tripping can also occur when a vehicle is traveling forward, typically at a high speed. If one side of the vehicle rides up on an object, like a guardrail, it may be forced to roll over.

Steep Slope
Tripping can also occur on severe slopes in off-road situations. If an incline's slope is too steep to keep the vehicle upright, it can topple over.

One of the best ways to avoid a rollover, therefore, is to stay on the road. Electronic Stability Control is a promising new technology that will help drivers stay on the road in emergency situations.

UN-TRIPPED
Un-tripped rollovers are less common than tripped rollovers, occurring less than 5% of the time, and mostly to top-heavy vehicles. Instead of an object serving as a tripping mechanism, un-tripped rollovers usually occur during high-speed collision avoidance maneuvers.


Rollover Characteristics

Rollovers are complex crash incidents and are particularly violent in nature. Rollovers, more so than other types of crashes, reflect the interaction of the driver, road, vehicle, and environmental factors. So while vehicle type does play a significant role, other factors such as driver behavior and road and environmental conditions can also cause a vehicle to roll over.

VEHICLE TYPE

All types of vehicles can rollover. However, taller, narrower vehicles such as SUVs, pickups, and vans have higher centers of gravity, and thus are more susceptible to rollover if involved in a single-vehicle crash.

SPEED

Fatal rollover crashes are speed-related more often than fatal non-rollover crashes. Some 40% of fatal rollover crashes involved excessive speeding . Additionally, nearly ¾ of fatal rollovers took place where the posted speed limit was 55 miles per hour or higher.

ALCOHOL

Nearly half of all fatal rollover crashes involve alcohol . Impairment can result from any blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above .00 . Even a small amount of alcohol will negatively affect your judgment, muscular coordination, and vision, making you more likely to lose control of your vehicle.

LOCATION

Rural roads tend to be undivided and without barriers. They are thus more likely to be the scene of a fatal rollover. Almost ¾ of fatal rollovers occur in rural areas where the posted speed limit is typically 55 miles per hour or higher.

ROUTINE DRIVING

NHTSA data also suggest that over 90% of the vehicles in fatal, single-vehicle rollover crashes were involved in routine driving maneuvers (going straight or negotiating a curve) at the time of the crash. This further suggests that driver behavior (distraction, inattentiveness, speeding, and impaired driving) plays a significant role in rollover crashes.

SINGLE-VEHICLE CRASHES

NHTSA data show that nearly 85% of all rollover-related fatalities are the result of single-vehicle crashes. This means that the majority of rollover crashes and fatalities do not involve any other vehicle besides the one that rolled over, further suggesting that driver behavior plays a significant role in rollover crashes.

Ambulance Company’s Carelessness Costs Woman Her Life and Insurance Company Half a Million Dollars

Sharon Hill, a 53 year-old Pinellas County resident died as the result of what she thought would be a routine trip in an MMG Transportation ambulance van. Ms. Hill, a double amputee, regularly used MMG’s services to take her to medical appointments, but on her last trip she violently hit her head on the vehicle’s dashboard and broke her neck.
This was an injury that never should have happened. Regulations required that Ms. Hill and her wheelchair be secured during the trip, but MMG failed to provide safety straps in the van. Ms. Hill even mentioned to the driver on that fateful day that she had never been transported before without the straps, and the driver commented that the straps had been removed and not put back.

During the trip the driver stopped short in traffic which caused Ms. Hill to fall from her unsecured wheelchair and hit her head. At the hospital, she was diagnosed with a very serious cervical fracture – a fracture of the anterior arch of atlas -- and her head was placed in a halo to keep both her head and her neck stable. She eventually was transferred to a rehabilitation facility, but she never recovered. She was never able to return home, where she had been living independently despite her disabilities. Her injuries from the ambulance incident were just too serious, and she died in May 2008.

MMG Transportation’s insurance company agreed to pay Ms. Hill’s estate $500,000. “Every year people are injured needlessly in accidents that occur during transport,” said Ms. Hill’s attorney, Philip DeBerard. “Many products, such as floor straps, wheelchair locks and harness systems, are available to secure wheelchair patients in ambulances, and this company failed to protect our client.”
There is a lesson in this for other businesses that transport people. DeBerard said, “You can protect your facility and residents from this type of tragedy by developing guidelines for the safe transport of wheelchair passengers and by providing appropriate training for implementation. Proactive risk management is an ongoing challenge, but all of the time and trouble is definitely worthwhile if accidents such as this can be avoided.”

The following guidelines for safe transport of passengers should be considered:
• Appropriate training for guideline implementation.
• A preventive maintenance schedule for each vehicle, according to
the manufacturer's recommendations. Keep a log of monthly
inspections.
• A visual checklist to perform routine safety inspections. Service
vehicles as needed, and keep reports and corrective action receipts
filed with the vehicle maintenance records.
• Provide an appropriate number of staff to adequately meet the needs of
the passengers while en route (e.g., residents at risk for seizures,
dependent on oxygen, or confused and unable to fasten their safety
restraints, etc.).
• Visually check equipment for proper working condition before loading
residents. Make sure safety straps are not frayed, torn or broken.
• Set both wheelchair brakes and fasten safety restraints before raising
the lift to the level of entry into the van.
• Always fasten restraints according to the vehicle's manufacturer
directions when transferring a wheelchair into the vehicle. The
operator should verify that the wheelchair restraints provided on the
van are compatible with both the resident and the wheelchair to
secure the passenger in place.
• Develop an audit system in which the fleet manager randomly travels
with drivers to assess their skills and knowledge. Provide training
based on needs.

HIGHWAY FATALITIES CONTINUE TO DECLINE IN FLORIDA
~ Preliminary figures show crash fatalities statistic hits an 18-year low ~

Florida ended 2009 with 2,570 traffic crash fatalities, the lowest in 18 years, according to preliminary data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. By comparison, the 2008 preliminary traffic fatalities totaled 2,986 when reported last January. While the number of crash fatalities is similar to 1992’s number, the Sunshine State’s population grew by approximately five million residents.
“The Department continues its work to provide a safer Florida for everyone who shares our roadways, and Floridians should be encouraged by this downward trend in fatalities,” said DHSMV Executive Director Julie L. Jones. “We are committed to providing the safest possible driving environment by educating drivers, licensing those who prove they are competent and qualified, and enforcing the traffic laws.”
The final count for 2009 will be made available later this year when the Department publishes its annual Traffic Crash Statistics Report 2009. Reports from previous years are available online at www.flhsmv.gov/html/safety.html.
“One of the easiest ways for motorists to stay safe on the road is to buckle up,” said Florida Highway Patrol Director, Colonel John Czernis. “We encourage motorists to take precautions, such as fastening their safety belts and ensuring their vehicles are properly maintained. The FHP is working in partnership with all law enforcement agencies statewide, and we are aggressively patrolling to remove dangerous drivers from Florida roadways who pose unnecessary and unlawful risks to others.”
In an effort to reduce crashes, state troopers not only enforce the law, but also educate the public on safe driving habits. They talk to groups about traffic safety, conduct demonstrations using the rollover simulator and DUI goggles, show parents how to properly install car seats and more. The Department’s current education campaigns, such as Drive with CARE for teen drivers and their parents (www.flhsmv.gov/teens/), are designed to raise awareness of specific Florida traffic laws.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles provides highway safety and security through excellence in service, education and enforcement. The Department is leading the way to a safer Florida through the efficient and professional execution of its core mission: the issuance of driver licenses, vehicle tags and titles and operation of the Florida Highway Patrol. To learn more about DHSMV and the services offered, visit www.flhsmv.gov.