Common Causes of a Rollover Accident & How to File a Claim

Lisa Coleman
July 24, 2013

You may have every confidence in your car and never expect it to fail you. You probably think nothing of driving it to its maximum potential and cruising down the highway as you run errands or go to work. However, it can still succumb to common causes of traffic accidents. In fact, no vehicle is immune to rolling in an accident and causing the driver and passengers to be killed or seriously hurt. Rather than take your car’s performance for granted, you should be aware of what can cause a rollover accident and what you should do if you have been involved in a rollover crash.

Weather

Road conditions are commonly at fault for causing these types of accidents. Roadways that are wet, icy, or full of snow prevent even the safest cars from getting sufficient traction from the roads’ surfaces. Sometimes drivers may not even see wet and icy areas on the highway. Black ice and puddles are to blame for many rollover crashes each year. Because the weather can be unpredictable and quickly cause road conditions to deteriorate, you should be aware of the weather conditions and be prepared to slow down and drive with caution as necessary.

Inattentiveness

Distracted drivers cause innumerable wrecks each year. People making phone calls, texting, putting on makeup, quieting children in the back seat, and otherwise engaged in activities that take their attention away from their driving, put themselves as well as other drivers around them at risk. Even if you think that you are an expert driver who can make a quick call or send a short text without compromising your safety, you should know that this brief distraction could cause you to roll your car.

Mechanical Failure

Most of the cars made today meet or exceed safety standards set forth by the auto industry. However, even the safest of cars can still be prone to blowing tires, having parts fall off while they are in motion, or suffering engine failures. When these mechanical failures occur, it can be difficult for you to keep control of the car. In a moment’s notice, you could go from driving safely to rolling a ditch or into another lane of traffic. Having your car inspected regularly and taking care of recognized repair issues can help you avoid rolling because of your car’s mechanical failure.

The Vital Role of Legal Counsel

The dangers of rollover accidents cannot be understated. If you have been involved in such an accident and have suffered an injury because of it, one of your first actions afterward should be to hire a local car accident attorney. For example, if you were a victim of a rollover accident in Atlanta, then a search for car accident attorneys in Atlanta would be recommended. You would find someone knowledgeable about local and state laws in regards to an accident in the Atlanta area.

Your car accident attorney can explore what caused your accident and can take action to file a claim against the responsible party or your insurance company to help ensure you are compensated accordingly. Your attorney can also help with the legal process if you crashed into someone else’s car and caused them to be injured. Having legal counsel by your side immediately can help lessen the impact that your rollover accident will have on your life.

You may never set out on a journey expecting your car to rollover and cause an accident. However, many of these unfortunate and unexpected accidents happen each year. Knowing what commonly causes these wrecks and what you can do to protect yourself both prior to and after an accident can help you move past this event.

Lisa Coleman shares what some common causes of rollover accidents are, and encourages employing an attorney if involved in one. Stokes & Kopitsky, P.A., a firm of car accident attorneys in Atlanta, is knowledgeable and equipped to represent a client and handle all the legalities for someone who has been involved in an accident of this type within the state of Georgia.