Long Island, Manhattan Accident Attorney Blog

Roof Strength Plays a Factor in Rollover Accidents

The strength of your roof can make the difference of the severity of injuries you may sustain in a rollover accident.  Safety advocates have been making the case that the requirements for roof strength need to be tightened.  This argument has been made following the thousands of deaths that have resulted from rollover accidents across the country.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has a test that they use for roof strength, but the standard was set in 1973.  Currently, the standard requires that vehicles have roofs that are strong enough to withstand 1 ½ times the vehicle’s weight.  The NHTSA has thought about increasing the standard to 2 ½ times.

The managing editor for Consumer Reports has made a statement that the NHTSA needs to create a dynamic rollover test that would include such safety features as curtain airbags, seat belt pre-tensioners and other rollover protection devices.

Rollover accidents have become a major problem as more people are driving SUVs, trucks and vans.  It is estimated that nearly 10,000 people die in rollovers every year and 24,000 people are injured.

If you have been injured in a New York rollover accident, you need to contact a New York car accident lawyer at the law firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine at 800.734.9445.  You may be able to recover compensation for your injuries.