If you were seriously injured in a rollover crash in New Mexico, you need to find out what caused the crash to determine if another party is liable for your damages. The car accident lawyers at Keller & Keller have the necessary experience with rollover crashes to investigate the cause and hold the right parties responsible.
Possible Causes of Rollover Crashes in New Mexico
Nationwide, rollover crashes account for only about 3 percent of all vehicle crashes each year. However, 30 percent of all vehicle fatalities are caused by rollover crashes. This is because passengers in rollover crashes suffer serious injuries when the roof of the vehicle is crushed, or they are tossed around as the vehicle rolls.
Some common causes of rollover crashes include the following:
- Vehicle design. The primary cause of most single-vehicle rollovers is attributed to the vehicle’s width in relation to a higher center of gravity, leaving them top-heavy. This design is common among SUVs, passenger vans, and box trucks. When a driver jerks the wheel to avoid an obstacle or takes a sharp turn a little too quickly, these high-profile vehicles can flip over. In some of these situations, the vehicle manufacturer could be to blame.
- Tires. When a tire goes flat or blows out, or the tread separates from the tire, the driver can lose control of the vehicle and could potentially roll over. If a defect in the tire caused the failure, the tire manufacturer could be to blame for the accident.
- Road conditions. A poorly marked road, unrepaired potholes, and missing guardrails could cause a driver to hit an unexpected obstacle or take a turn too quickly, causing a rollover. In this case, a municipality or interstate highway commission could be held liable.
