Roof Strength in SUV's Influence Risk of Injury

Susy Owen

Attorney

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Unfortunately, drivers are often lulled into a false sense of safety while driving an SUV. Perhaps it is the size of the vehicle that lends itself to that misconception.

The truth is, many SUV's roll over during accidents, and as many as 35 percent of vehicle deaths occur due to roll overs. To add to that, a recent study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that the strength of an SUV's roof has a direct influence on the risk of injury to the occupants. "We don't know just what happens to people in these crashes or what the injury mechanisms are," said Institute President Adrian Lund. "What we do know from the new study is that strengthening a vehicle's roof reduces injury risk, and it reduces it a lot."

The current requirement by the United States government is as follows: A vehicle's roof must be capable of withstanding a force 1.5 times the weight of the vehicle prior to reaching 5 inches of crush. However, that has been the requirement since as far back as 1973 for some vehicles. The government wants to bring the current safety requirement up to 2.5 times the weight of the vehicle.

Information Pertaining to Automobile Accidents