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A new study released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) shows conclusive proof that the strength of sport utility vehicle (SUV) roof is a major cause of injury and death in SUV rollovers.

SUV rollovers

SUVs have always had a higher capacity to roll over than automobiles due to their higher center of gravity. The strength of an SUV’s roof has always been a source of controversy among manufacturers and consumer advocate groups. Manufacturers often claim that the strength their SUV’s roofs are adequate and don’t play a major role in injuries; consumer advocate groups adamantly disagree. However, the new study released by the IIHS concludes that an SUV’s roof strength does have a direct correlation with serious injuries and death when these vehicles roll over.

Results of the study

The study, available online at the IIHS’s website, www.iihs.org/, looked at nearly 23,000 SUV rollovers in 12 states among the following 11 SUVs:

• Jeep Grand Cherokee (2 classes)
• Jeep Liberty
• Nissan Xterra
• Chevy Blazer
• Chevy Trailblazer
• Dodge Durango
• Ford Explorer (2 classes)
• Toyota 4Runner
• Mitsubishi Montero

The results determined that the strength of the SUV’s roof had a conclusive relationship with the risk of serious injury and death. Various amounts of force were used to determine how much force was required to crush each vehicle’s roof a distance of two, five and ten inches based on the weight of the vehicle. So, which vehicle scored the best and worst?

The best and the worst

According to the IIHS, the SUV with the strongest roof was the Nissan Xterra – which was able to withstand a force of 2.93 times its weight. The SUV with the weakest roof was the Jeep Grand Cherokee – which was only able to withstand 1.64 times its weight. The government currently requires SUV roofs to withstand a force of 1.5 times their weight. However, that requirement is quite old and proposed rules would increase that number to 2.5, which according to industry experts, is still far too low.

Advice to injured consumers

We asked Rick Morrison, an Alabama attorney whose firm represents victims injured in SUV rollover litigation, to provide consumers who have been injured in SUV rollover accidents with advice on whether they might have a lawsuit. Morrison told us that he asks potential clients these three key questions:

1. When did the accident occur? The first question I’m going to ask them is when their accident occurred because certain states have time limitations (statutes of limitation) as to when you can bring a claim.
2. What type of vehicle was involved? The second question I’m going to ask them is what type of vehicle was involved because some vehicles, such as the Ford Explorer and the General Motor’s Blazer and Trailblazer models, traditionally have a worse track record and a worse rating as far as rollover and protection is concerned.
3. Where is the vehicle now? The third question I’m going to ask them is where the vehicle is now because if they do not have the vehicle, they may not be able to pursue a claim. I know that’s the case in Alabama and a lot of other jurisdictions. The vehicle is the very evidence you need to pursue a claim against any one of the manufacturers and you need to preserve that vehicle as best you can.

If you’ve been injured in an SUV that has rolled over, contact an attorney whose practice focuses in this area of the law and who understands the differences between the various makes and models of SUVs and their safety records. To contact a qualified attorney, please click here. Consultations are free, without obligation and strictly confidential.