Blog of Charles Bryan Alred
A Tragic Tulsa Rollover
Posted on May 8, 2020
Last month, a Tulsa woman was killed, and a man was severely injured following a rollover crash on Highway 75 near the 41st street exit. The collision occurred at about 11:00 p.m. Witnesses told the police that the car veered to the side of the road and it hit the center median. Hitting the median triggered a roll that threw the woman from the vehicle. She unfortunately passed at the scene.
Charles Bryan Alred P.C. offers its deepest condolences to the families of these individuals. Rollover crashes can be one of the deadliest types of car accidents in Oklahoma and across the United States. This accident, and ones like it, can teach others of the significant hazards of rollover accidents.
What is a Rollover?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines a rollover accident as any type of accident that occurs because a vehicle tips over onto its top or side during the crash. Although these crashes make up roughly one percent of all car accidents in the United States, they account for about one-third of all traffic accident fatalities.
There are generally two types of rollovers, including:
Tripped. This type of rollover has this name because it is as if the vehicle “tripped” over some other object, such as a guard rail, median, or soft soil on a dirt road. The object or road condition causes the rollover.
Untripped. An “untripped” rollover is rare, but it is caused by uneven weight in a vehicle. The vehicle makes a move, such as a sharp turn or quick lane change, and the vehicle ends up rolling. These are more common in larger vehicles that are top heavy, such as trucks and utility vehicles.
The tragic Tulsa crash that we referenced is considered a tripped accident because the car hit the median before rolling over.
Rollover Injuries
The severity of a rollover injury can result in death, particularly where the car accident victim is thrown from the vehicle. However, other very serious injuries can also occur. These might include things like:
- Concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Internal bleeding
It is extremely important to get medical attention after this type of accident.
Preventing Rollover Crashes
You can take extra precautions to prevent some rollover crashes and decrease the potential severity of injuries. For example, wearing your seatbelt significantly reduces the likelihood that you will be thrown from the vehicle if a rollover occurs. Those who are thrown from the car have a significantly higher risk of death.
Other actions you can take to prevent rollovers include:
- Reduce speeds so that they are appropriate for the road conditions.
- Never drink and drive.
- Never text and drive.
- Be sure to pay attention to the road and hazards around you while driving.
- Reduce distractions as much as possible.
- Practice defensive driving
