The best used Suv’s

July 2nd, 2009
Vince Robertson asked:


With all the ways you can use a suv, no wonder it is the most popular body type of choice to use. Just about every auto maker has a Suv or maybe several models. Ford has 5 suv’s now, but three are very popular.When gas prices went above $4.00 a gallon it made the smaller suv’s more sought after, like the ford escape. The escape is a small but roomy vehicle that gets good gas mileage. Another very popular vehicle ford has is the ford explorer. This vehicle is a very stylish suv with a 3rd row seating available. For people not worried about gas mileage they have the expedition, which is a large suv, but not their largest.

 

 Chevrolet’s and GMC have some popular suv’s like the Chevy Blazer and the GMC Envoy to name a few. Both of these vehicles are just alike all but the name. These vehicles can be very nice finished, and are pretty roomy. They both come with 3rd row seating available now. Chevrolet also has several new cross over vehicles to choose from one popular one is the Chevy Equinox. The Equinox is a small suv kind of cross over vehicle with good room and good gas mileage. The Chevy Equinox can come with a LT package which comes with leather seats and wood grain dash. Stereo system for front and rear of vehicle with dvd players in back of seats.

 

 Toyota has a lot of Suv’s to choose from like the Sequoia Suv, it is a larger suv that actually gets very good gas mileage. The Sequoia is finished off inside and out very nice and comfortable. The Toyota Sequoia comes with a v-8 engine which has lots of power to pull things or just cruise. The next Suv for Toyota is the Toyota 4runner which is almost like the Sequoia, but is a little smaller in size, and has a V-6 motor and some what better gas mileage from it. The Toyota Highlander is next in line and it is even smaller in size, still much like the bigger ones before it. They finish all their vehicles very comfortably inside and out. All the Suv’s by Toyota can come with leather and wood grain finishes, plus nice wheels and tires. Also the Toyota Rav4 is the smallest of them all, but like the other Toyotas it is a very good vehicle and reliable.

As you can tell I did not talk about the large Suv’s, simply because I think gas prices are going back up so there want be a lot of interest in that type of vehicle. Most all the big car makers have their on large Suv, known as the gas drinkers. Chevrolet has the best large Suv on the market, called the Chevy Tahoe, it has been around for several years even decades. But as you can tell, I am going to stay with the most popular right now.

 



Demystifying an SUV Safety Report: Are Rollovers a Threat?

July 2nd, 2009
Nick Johnson asked:


When it comes to SUV rollovers, most people commonly approach them in one of two ways, either they are worried about the danger of rollover every time they get into an SUV or they brush it off as a myth, believing that SUV rollovers are only as common as any other vehicle rolling over. The truth, however, is somewhere in between these two trains of thought. Riding in an SUV isnt a death sentence as long as the driver is cautious and follows all traffic rules, but at the same time, Sport Utility Vehicles do tend to rollover more readily than other vehicles.

SUV rollovers are a safety issue you must understand; if you aren’t aware, you can’t protect yourself and your passengers, whether they be co-workers riding with you on a commute to work or your children in the backseat heading to soccer practice. The most common and easy way to learn about your particular SUV and the rate of rollover is to read the safety report. However, these reports can be a bit intimidating, presenting you with lots of figures and scientific data, so learning exactly how to read the report is crucial.

The first rollover reports appeared by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in early 2001. Of course, these reports were clouded in controversy, as not every SUV performed well. Companies such as General Motors went on the record as saying that the reports are misleading to consumers, which may have a shade of truth to it, since most people don’t accurately know how to read the entire report.

The most important part of the SUV rollover report is the SSF, which stands for Static Stability Factor. If you majored in physics in college, you probably are nodding your head, but for the rest of us, let me put it into simpler terms: SSF is reports how top-heavy your SUV is. Imagine putting a heavy basket of fruit on top of your head, as you’d try to walk, you’d feel unstable, like you were going to topple over, right? Top heavy means an SUV will be more likely to topple over as well, and so SUV rollovers will be more common.

SSF is a number computed by measuring the center of gravity on the SUV, which is largely due to the track width. Track width is just a fancy way of saying the distance between the tires, and the back tires are always used to keep everyone’s report consistent. Go back to imagining yourself with a basket on your head.

Imagine the result if you if you stand with your feet together versus if you stand with your feet a shoulder width’s apart. You’ll definitely feel more stability with your feet apart, right? The same is true in SUV rollover reports: the farther the tires (feet) are from one another, the more stable the SUV will be and the less likely for SUV rollovers to happen.

In theory, this is a perfect way to determine how likely your SUV is to rollover. That said, there are things that your SUV rollover report isn’t telling you. For instance, the vast majority of SUV rollovers occur when the driver accidentally (or purposely) drives off of the road and a wheel of the SUV hits a ditch, bump, curb, or other change.

The speed you are traveling also makes a difference, and a reaction to running off the road can play into the rollover as well. Would you slam on your brakes or pump the pedal? Would you jerk the wheel to gain control or try to keep steady, would you shift gears? Each of these factors in your own personal situation will help to determine if you will be involved in a rollover or not.

Also, one must take into consideration other safety features of an SUV before buying. When compared to all other vehicles, SUVs are, hands down, the safest in a collision due to their size and build. Use your common sense if you are worried about SUV rollovers. Death occurs largely do to the roof crushing, so of course a less stable roof, found if the roof is removable or has a sunroof, will be more dangerous if you actually get into a rollover situation.

That doesn’t mean that a rollover report is senseless. The rollover report’s SSF should weigh in your mind at least a bit, and can help you to decide between two vehicles if you are truly on the fence. Drive safely and SUV rollovers should never be an issue in the first place. All the safety reports in the world can’t make up for a bad driver.



The Power, Durability and Stamina of the SUV

June 29th, 2009
Mike Freemen asked:


There are of course many vehicles on the road, but few vehicles have enjoyed the immense popularity of the SUV. When the first SUVs first came onto the market, many people were unsure just what to make of them. They were not quite trucks, and they certainly were not cars. After a couple of short years, however, the SUV had caught on in a big way, and it seemed that everyone, from soccer moms to single guys, were looking to the SUV for power, space and durability.

The SUV continues to be one of the most popular classes of vehicle on the market, and the new hybrid SUV models mean that SUV drivers can now be environmentally conscious and fashionable at the same time. Some of the new hybrid SUV models get very good gas mileage, and as the technology improves more models of high mileage SUV are likely to come to market.

Even for older SUV models careful driving can help owners to achieve better mileage and better performance out of their vehicles. Of course the reason many SUV owners love their vehicles so much is that they are so great at hauling all those things that always seem to be hauled. Whether you are picking up new furniture or just hauling the kids around, an SUV is a great way to get it all done. It is no wonder that the SUV has been seen by many as the logical follow up to the minivan. The SUV in fact does many of the same things that the old minivan did, and it has become the vehicle of choice for many parents due to its safety and versatility.

The SUV can also be a great replacement for the old fashioned pickup truck. There are many times that a pickup truck comes in handy, but may people do not like the ride of a pickup truck and it is often unsuitable for use as an everyday vehicle. For many an SUV represents a good compromise between the utilitarian style of the pickup truck and the drivability and durability of the car.

Those drivers who are considering the purchase of a new or used SUV should be sure to shop around carefully, and to choose the model that provides the best possible combination of safety, security, style and gas mileage. If you shop around it is possible to find a vehicle with this seemingly impossible combination. The secret is to shop around and know what you are looking for in a vehicle.



SUV Rollovers Pose Serious Auto Accident Risks

June 28th, 2009
Alan Haburchak asked:


The sport utility vehicle (SUV) has the highest rate of death in rollover accidents. According to government tests, SUV rollovers are almost three times more likely to occur than in the average passenger car, and the most stable SUV is still more unstable than the most unstable car. In 2002, nearly 11,000 people died in rollover accidents, 61 percent of which occurred in SUVs.

With the number of people killed in SUV rollovers increasing by 14 percent per year, consumers should be aware of the risks SUVs pose to their families. Even more alarming than the rising rollover statistics is the withholding of rollover information by the government and auto manufacturers.

Sobering Statistics

Though the number of SUV rollover fatalities continues to escalate, but SUVs are not being manufactured to better resist rollover crashes. Not a single SUV earned the federal agency’s highest safety rating, according to an NHTSA report in 2003. However, SUV consumption has increased: SUV popularity created a large increase in sales in the 1990s, and because of high consumer demand for these cars, car makers continue to manufacture SUVs. Because the vehicle has changed from simply being an off-road vehicle to a replacement for the family station wagon, manufacturers removed the roll bar that protects drivers and passengers in a rollover situation from SUVs.

Many SUV rollover accidents occur because of the unusual propensity the large car has to roll over when steered hard in foreseeable accident avoidance maneuvers. Also, the size and height of an SUV may increase the danger of rollovers. SUV defects, like weak roofs and safety restraint system failures, are some of the heightened risks involved in an SUV rollover situation. Roof Crush Injury

Roof crush injury is most often the result of rollover automobile accidents. Roof crush injuries kill 10,000 people every year. Vehicle design is supposed to depend on a structural support system that creates a “survival space” that protects car occupants in a crash from injury due to roof crush. When a vehicle does not have the proper roof pillar strength, it will cause the roof to cave into the passenger compartment during an accident. A weak roof makes a vehicle defective, and roof crushes can cause serious and fatal injuries, including disabling brain and spinal injuries.

Safe Roof Designs

Safe roof structure designs have been documented from as early as the 1930s. Vehicles with the safety features mentioned above would reduce the number of roof crush accidents. Despite the availability of safer designs and structures, manufacturers claim it is the force of the impact that leads to injuries and death, notwithstanding the fact that the relationship between rollover crashes and injuries from roof crush was observed and noted as early as 1932.

Safe roofs are equipped with strong roof pillars and full-length closed sections, windshield headers and side sections, internal baffle plates, strong tubular cross-members, and reinforcing gussets at the connections. Some use rigid foam within the tubular cross-members to help strengthen the structure. These different safety precautions can significantly minimize the fatal results of roof crush.

Roof Crush and Rollover

Roof crush injury risks are higher in vehicles with a greater propensity to roll over. Because they are taller and narrower, SUVs, or sports utility vehicles, are three times more likely to roll over in an accident than are other passenger cars. In 1973, the government passed Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 216, creating a standard roof strength test to measure the integrity of roof structure in motor vehicles. This test was to apply to motor vehicles weighing six thousand pounds or less. Many SUVs weigh more than this, and are therefore exempt from compulsory safety standards that may be crucial to preventing roof crush injury. In light of SUV roof crush injury risks, consumer advocacy groups have urged the federal government to modify standards so that they include any vehicle weighing ten thousand pounds or less.

Roof pillars appear strong to the average consumer, but most of them consist of just sheet metal that is hollow on the inside at the cross sections. When an accident occurs involving roof structures with a filled inner space, the outcome has been shown to be safer due to a lesser amount of roof crush.

Pillars filled with high-density foam can reduce the severity of a roof crush significantly, saving lives and reducing serious injuries. Overall, federal safety standards fail to provide roof strength requirements that adequately protect people from suffering roof crush injury in a rollover automobile accident. Despite federal standards, many vehicle roofs will easily crush a foot or more during a rollover accident. More stringent testing standards and minimum industry safety standards must be employed if the government hopes to adequately protect people from sustaining serious roof crush injury in automobile accidents.

If You’ve Been Injured in an SUV Accident

Though rollover accidents are regarded as highly survivable events, the integrity of a vehicle’s roof structure during impact is crucial. Windshield reinforcement is a critical component of vehicle design: when a windshield is destroyed in the course of an accident, the strength of the roof is instantly reduced by 33 percent. As a result, roof crush injuries are often extremely serious. Common roof crush injuries include neck fractures and other spinal injuries. Sometimes a brain injury may result from the roof crushing in on the vehicle occupant. These head and neck injuries can also cause paraplegia, quadriplegia, or other life-altering conditions.

If you have suffered injury due to a roof crush car crash, you may be eligible for monetary compensation due to faulty automobile design. Contact an experienced crashworthiness attorney as soon as possible. Your crashworthiness lawyer will help you assess your claim, file a law suit, and get the compensation you deserve.



Top 5 Suvs in India

June 3rd, 2009
carazoo.com asked:


Indian car industry is crowded with a number of SUVs, the demand of which is gradually increasing among car consumers. SUVs have come a long way from the traditional Jeep to the stylish and high-tech Honda CR-V, Volvo XC90, and Nissan X-Trail.

Here are among the top 5 SUVs in India:

Tata Safari Dicor

The Tata Safari is one of the oldest and most successful SUVs in the Indian car market. The car with its excellent styling and comfortable interiors have become a hot favourite among the youth. Among the range of Safari on Indian roads, Tata Safari Dicor is the most appreciated SUV that has been introduced with a fresh look and an indigenously developed advanced engine, christened as Direct Injection Common Rail (DICOR) engine. This advanced version of the Safari comes with two engine options, a 2.2L VTT diesel and 2.0L MPFI petrol.

Talking about the car interiors, it is adorned with power windows, video screens in the headrest, climate control system, height-adjustable driver’s seat, and a host of car safety technologies. This SUV with its excellent engine technology and high power output delivers a fuel efficiency of about 9 km/l in city and about 12 km/l on highways.

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Maruti Suzuki is always known as the leader in manufacturing small cars but now the company has spread its wing in other car segments as well. The entry in the SUV market was made with the launch of Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara. The car is powered by a 2.0L VIS Inline-4 petrol engine mated with efficient 5-speed manual transmission. It also has an optional 4-speed automatic transmission.

The excellent styling with contemporary design cues with impressive headlamps and wide body coloured front grille makes the car stand out in the traffic. It is also adorned with attractive and functional interiors along with a pack of safety features to deliver a safe and comfortable driving experience. This SUV delivers 16 km/l in city and about 22 km/l on highways.

Mahindra Scorpio

Mahindra Scorpio is a big hit on Indian roads. This SUV from Mahindra at the time of its launch had created a wave of enthusiasm among young car consumers. Though today there are many other SUVs against the successful Mahindra Scorpio, the car has been successful in maintaining its worth and significance in the car market.

Mahindra Scorpio is powered with a 2.6L turbocharged Inline-4 diesel engine and the recently launched automatic Scorpio is powered by a 2.2L mHawk aluminium CRDe Inline-4 engine that generates 120 bhp. This SUV has its own style and elegance both in the exterior and the interior. It gives an impressive mileage of about 9 km/l in city and about 14 km/l on highways.

Honda CR-V

The Honda CR-V is the only SUV by the premium car manufacturer, Honda. Being one of the best selling SUVs in the present era, the car delivers a blend of power, performance, and sophistication. The car is designed with elegance and creativity, fulfilling the promise of providing fascinating comforts to all its owners. The real-time all-wheel-drive (AWD) system and the advanced 2.4L i-VTEC Inline-4 engine offers excellent stability, handling, and driving experience. This SUV is also available with an engine option of automatic transmission.

In the interiors, this SUV has an expressive cabin adorned with dual climate control, adjustable tilt-telescopic steering, an ultra-silent cabin, and multi-info display. The estimated fuel efficiency of the SUV is about 9 km/l in city and about 16 km/l on highways.

Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Outlander is a recent addition in the list of SUVs but has won many appreciations in a short span of time. The car is powered by a 2.4L MIVEC I4 engine that generates168 bhp of power. Mated with a 6-speed INVECS-III CVT and a 6-speed manual mode, the car offers excellent performance, handling, and stability.

This SUV carries elegance and style with its impressive exterior adorned with stylish headlamps, integrated fog lamps, LED tail lamps, colour keyed power door mirrors, and chrome plated door handles. In the interiors, the car has fulfilled company’s promise of providing comfort and convenience.



Seven SUV Rollover Tips

May 26th, 2009
Tim Dillard asked:


SUVs are notoriously known in the automobile industry for being quick to get into rollover accidents. While this is not a totally unfounded claim, it is also important to note that SUV rollovers typically don’t happen because of manufacturer defects or design flaws’ they happen because drivers are dangerous in a vehicle that is already prone to rollovers under certain conditions.

But how’s a driver to stay safe? SUV rollovers happen more commonly than rollovers in other vehicles because, essentially, SUVs are top heavy. There’s nothing you can really do to change that, short of not buying an SUV, but there are tips you can use to stay safe from SUV rollover no matter what kind of vehicle you drive. Take these tips to heart, they could very well save your life.

1. You can avoid SUV rollovers by choosing a smart SUV. Know what you’re buying before you buy it! Check out consumer reports, guides, and rollover ratings. In general, SUV rollovers are most likely to happen with vehicles that are tall and “skinny.” The best SUVs to buy when you’re hoping to prevent rollover are the ones that have a father distance between the tires in the back.

2. The second tip, which you cannot overlook, is to drive your SUV “like an SUV”. If you’re used to driving a car, or even a truck or van, it is tricky to jump into an SUV and take off. You can’t take curves as quickly in an SUV. If you try, rollover is likely. Before you speed down the highway, take a few days or weeks to learn the feel of your SUV’s steering, brakes, acceleration, and so on.

3. When dealing with an SUV, drive safely. This is, of course, the best tip to use when driving anything, but it is important to note that most SUV rollovers only happen when the SUV goes off of the main road.

If you’re chatting on your cell phone, doing your makeup in the car, or tending to yelling children in the backseat, it is much more likely that you’ll run off of the road, where you’ll hit a ditch, curb, bump, or obstacle and be thrown head over heels.

4. To go hand-in-hand with the last tip, drive according to the road conditions. SUV rollovers are more likely on rural roads, simply because potholes are more common. If you’re driving on a dirt road or road that rarely gets repaired after the winter, having an SUV can prevent you from sticking in the mud, but at the same time, a pothole can cause you to become off balance and, in effect cause an SUV rollover. Remember that driving for the road conditions also includes the weather. If it’s raining, snowing, or foggy, slow down.

5. Avoid panicking when steering. The common response to losing control is to over-steer in attempts to regain control. Don’t panic and fall into this trap! You’ll only make matters much worse. Instead, grab the wheel firmly and try to keep the vehicle going in a straight path, as you pump the brakes to slow. When you panic and steer sharply, it has the same effects of going around a turn too quickly, and SUV rollovers are common.

6. Keep your car in tip-top shape if you want to avoid SUV rollover. Most importantly, check your tire pressure. If one tire is running low on air, this will not only cause efficiency problems, but will also make your SUV be prone to rollover. Keep in mind also that ESC systems are now available to upgrade your SUV.

This kind of a system monitors your vehicle and your movements to prevent rollover. If you carry things in your SUV, make sure that these things are distributed evenly according to weight. Centrifugal force plays a huge roll in SUV rollovers, so check your loaded items often.

7. Wear your seatbelt. Okay, this isn’t exactly a way to prevent SUV rollovers, but it is a way to prevent death if your SUV should happen to rollover, for whatever reason. More fatalities occur because the driver or passenger was thrown completely or partially out of the SUV as it rolled, and reports show that buckling up can reduce your risk of death when in an SUV rollover by up to 75%.

Be safe, be smart, and if you do happen to become involved with an SUV rollover, which can happen to even the best drivers, contact a lawyer to learn about your legal rights.



The Best SUVs Under $20,000

May 19th, 2009
Amy Thomas asked:


Looking for a Midsize SUV but want to stay on a budget? No problem! Who said SUVs have to be a drain on your pocketbook? We don’t think so. To prove our theory, we decided to look at available Sport Utility Vehicles that can hold their own against other top-selling SUVs, but can also be as easy on your finances as the payment for a mid-size car.

First, let’s consider what you should look for in a Midsize SUV. Most people prefer SUVs for cars for two reasons: more cargo space and better safety features. If you’re looking for an SUV at any price, you should make sure it meets your needs. Cargo space first. An SUV should provide you with enough space to haul the type of cargo you typically need to take with you, as well as seat the correct number of passengers. This is the reason, in and of itself, many people decide on a Midsize SUV over a Compact SUV. If it doesn’t meet your needs, it’s not a good value at any price.

Second, safety is important. An affordable SUV doesn’t mean that you should compromise on basic safety features. After all, what’s going to be more important in an accident - leather seats or well-designed airbags? Make sure your SUV offers what you need. Need a 2-wheel drive vehicle? Get one. Do you deal with snowy conditions several months out of the year? If so, then you’re better suited for a 4-wheel drive SUV. Do yourself a favor and get a 4-wheel drive. If you don’t, you’re sure to regret scrimping on the features that make handling the vehicle easier and safer.

So what are the options? We found three dependable Midsize SUVs that start at under $20,000. Each has impressive features, but we found the one we thought was the best value.

Dodge Nitro. A four-door wagon style SUV with a base price starting at $19,225. Although it’s smaller than the other two, its boxy design gives it a bit more accessible cargo space and seats four adults comfortably. The Nitro’s body style is trendy but functional - the scaled down exterior dimensions makes negotiating traffic and getting in and out of tight spaces easier than many compact SUVs.

Kia Sorrento. A four-door wagon style SUV with a base price starting at $19,995. Available with an impressive amount of features even on the base model, the Sorrento is more enjoyable to look at than to drive. On bumpy roads, the ride and handling can be frustrating and the resale value is nothing to write home about. The warranty, however, is generous meaning Kia stands by the quality of the parts they use. Always a plus.

Isuzu Ascender 5-Passenger. Our favorite Midsize SUV choice with a base price starting at $19,459. With room for five adult passengers and impressive amount of cargo space, you’ll feel like you’re driving a full-size SUV. Several standard features are worth mentioning: the hydraulically assisted rack-and-pinion power steering system, the anti-lock brake and traction control systems, and its efficient inline 6-cylinder engine. And of course, it comes with Isuzu’s famous warranty: 7-year/75,000 Mile Powertrain Limited Warranty and Isuzu’s 7-year/75,000 Mile Roadside Assistance Program. Nice.



Auto Accidents and Risks for Suv Rollovers

May 10th, 2009
Peter Kent asked:


The sport utility vehicle (SUV) has the highest rate of death in rollover accidents. According to government tests, SUV rollovers are almost three times more likely to occur than in the average passenger car, and the most stable SUV is still more unstable than the most unstable car. In 2002, nearly 11,000 people died in rollover accidents, 61 percent of which occurred in SUVs. With the number of people killed in SUV rollovers increasing by 14 percent per year, consumers should be aware of the risks SUVs pose to their families. Even more alarming than the rising rollover statistics is the withholding of rollover information by the government and auto manufacturers.

Sobering Statistics

Though the number of SUV rollover fatalities continues to escalate, but SUVs are not being manufactured to better resist rollover crashes. Not a single SUV earned the federal agency’s highest safety rating, according to an NHTSA report in 2003. However, SUV consumption has increased: The popularity of SUVs increased in the 1990s and due to the high demand by consumers, the car manufacturers continue to make SUVs. When the vehicle went to being a family car from just being an off-road vehicle, the manufacturers got rid of the roll bar that would protect people in the car in the case of a rollover situation. Many SUV rollover accidents occur because of the unusual propensity the large car has to roll over when steered hard in foreseeable accident avoidance maneuvers. Also, the size and height of an SUV may increase the danger of rollovers. SUV defects, like weak roofs and safety restraint system failures, are some of the heightened risks involved in an SUV rollover situation. Roof Crush Injury

Roof crush injury is most often the result of rollover automobile accidents. Roof crush injuries kill 10,000 people every year. Vehicle design is supposed to depend on a structural support system that creates a “survival space” that protects car occupants in a crash from injury due to roof crush. When a vehicle does not have the proper roof pillar strength, it will cause the roof to cave into the passenger compartment during an accident. A weak roof makes a vehicle defective, and roof crushes can cause serious and fatal injuries, including disabling brain and spinal injuries.

Safe Roof Designs

Safe roof structure designs have been documented from as early as the 1930s. Vehicles with the safety features mentioned above would reduce the number of roof crush accidents. Despite the availability of safer designs and structures, manufacturers claim it is the force of the impact that leads to injuries and death, notwithstanding the fact that the relationship between rollover crashes and injuries from roof crush was observed and noted as early as 1932. Safe roofs are equipped with strong roof pillars and full-length closed sections, windshield headers and side sections, internal baffle plates, strong tubular cross-members, and reinforcing gussets at the connections. Some use rigid foam within the tubular cross-members to help strengthen the structure. These different safety precautions can significantly minimize the fatal results of roof crush.

Roof Crush and Rollover

Roof crush injury risks are higher in vehicles with a greater propensity to roll over. Sports utility vehicles are three times more likely to be in a rollover accident than other, smaller passenger cars because they are taller. In 1973, the government passed Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 216, creating a standard roof strength test to measure the integrity of roof structure in motor vehicles. This test was to apply to motor vehicles weighing six thousand pounds or less. Many SUVs weigh more than this, and are therefore exempt from compulsory safety standards that may be crucial to preventing roof crush injury. In light of SUV roof crush injury risks, consumer advocacy groups have urged the federal government to modify standards so that they include any vehicle weighing ten thousand pounds or less.

Despite the strong appearance of roof pillars, they are often made up of sheet metal that is hollow at the cross sections. When an accident occurs involving roof structures with a filled inner space, the outcome has been shown to be safer due to a lesser amount of roof crush. One way to reduce serious injuries and save lives in rollover accidents is to have pillars filled with a high-density foam which will support the roof better and lessen the chances of a roof crush. Overall, federal safety standards fail to provide roof strength requirements that adequately protect people from suffering roof crush injury in a rollover automobile accident. Despite federal standards, many vehicle roofs will easily crush a foot or more during a rollover accident. More stringent testing standards and minimum industry safety standards must be employed if the government hopes to adequately protect people from sustaining serious roof crush injury in automobile accidents.

If You’ve Been Injured in an SUV Accident

Though rollover accidents are regarded as highly survivable events, the integrity of a vehicle’s roof structure during impact is crucial. A crucial part of vehicular design is windshield reinforcement: when a windshield is destroyed in the course of an accident, the strength of the roof is instantly reduced by 33 percent. Roof crush injuries are frequently very severe as a result of this. Some injuries that are common in roof crushes are fractures in the neck as well as other spinal injuries. Sometimes a brain injury may result from the roof crushing in on the vehicle occupant. These head and neck injuries can also cause paraplegia, quadriplegia, or other life-altering conditions.

If you have suffered injury due to a roof crush car crash, you may be eligible for monetary compensation due to faulty automobile design. Contact an experienced crashworthiness attorney as soon as possible. Your crashworthiness lawyer will help you assess your claim, file a law suit, and get the compensation you deserve.



A Safer SUV: Preventing Rollover

May 4th, 2009
Nick Johnson asked:


People are afraid to fly, afraid to play extreme sports, and afraid to bungee jump, and yet they jump into their vehicles without batting an eyelash. Unfortunately, more deaths are contributed to motor vehicle crashes than almost any other health or accident cause.

That doesn’t mean you have to stop driving, but what it does mean is that you should take extra precautions to stay safe while on the road, for your sake and for the sake of other drivers. For SUV owners, this means taking positive steps toward preventing SUV rollovers.

SUV rollovers are commonly caused by driving off of the regular road and hitting a ditch, bump, or obstacle, which causes the SUV to flip. However, rollover also can happen when traveling around curves too quickly over in adverse conditions. You can look at your SUV’s official rollover report to learn about the safety of your specific vehicle.

In general, a lower center of gravity is preferred, because it means that your SUV is less top-heavy and more likely to stay upright when going around curves. You can consider this on the most basic level by simply comparing your SUV to other SUVs on the market. How far apart are the back wheels and how proportionate is the top half to the bottom half? The father apart the tires and the heavier the bottom half in relation to the top, the safer your SUV will be when it comes to rollover.

If safety is important to you and your family, but you just don’t want to give up your top-heavy SUV, you can purchase an ESC (Electronic Stability Control). These devices can greatly reduce your risk of SUV rollovers while traveling in your SUV, and on top of that, it’s a pretty cool new gadget to test out in your car!



The ESC using an electronic sensory system to actually detect when you’re going to lose control of your SUV. You don’t even have to do anything. The ESC will automatically step in and do whatever it needs to do to help your vehicle stay in control. A number of different studies have tested the ESC, and all have concluded that this system can help to save lives, so this product is truly in the industry to save. Unless you absolutely have no way of paying for it, get an ESC for your SUV to prevent SUV rollovers and possibly save lives.

How could an electronic device possible control your vehicle to prevent SUV rollovers? After you install it in your car, the microcomputer will monitor your speed, throttle position, cylinder pressure, acceleration, braking, steering wheel angle, and more. It basically compares what you are trying to do with what the vehicle is actually doing.

For example, it can notice that your breaking and prevent the tires from locking up. How does this help with rollover? The computer can sense when your wheels on one side are beginning to lift and it can use single-tire braking and over methods to help shift weight to keep your SUV stable.

Of course, no system is fool-proof, and the ESC is not a replacement for common sense when you’re driving your SUV. The next time you purchase a vehicle, it’s a good idea to get an ESC - they’re called different things with different makers, so you may see the names StabiliTrak, AdvanceTrac, Vehicle Dynamics Control, and Precision Control System, among other things. However, take SUV rollover prevention into your own hands as well for the safest driving experience possible.

The vast majority of SUV rollovers don’t happen when traveling about curves too fast; they happen when you lose control and drive off of the normal road. Off-road, there are things like curbs, ditches, tree roots, and other kinds of bumps that can catch a wheel and spend you flying head over heels. Your ESC system, no matter how well it works, can prevent this type of thing from happening.

Stay safe when driving and you’ll go a long way in preventing SUV rollovers. Stay off of your cell phone unless its and emergency, don’t eat or play with the radio while driving, and generally keep your attention focused on the road.

Remember, you have to watch out for not only yourself, but other drivers as well, so reaction is as important as personal action. Be informed about vehicular safety and the new products on the market, like the ESC, and with a little common sense, you should be able to avoid all SUV rollover accidents.