SUVs and Rollovers

May 2004

Fact or fiction:  SUVs are more susceptible to rollover accidents than other types of vehicles? A new federal safety test seems to indicate that belief is fiction.  Consumer advocacy groups such as Public Citizen aren't so easily convinced.

The NHTSA began actually driving vehicles to generate a rollover rating after a new law was passed in response to the Firestone tire recall.  Previously, a mathematical equation had been used to generate the ratings.

While none of the SUVs tested for rollovers scored the highest safety rating of "five stars", none of them received the lowest score of one star either. 

Joan Claybrook, president of Public Citizen, cautioned consumers by stating, "Two stars may be interpreted as a good or safe rating.  However, a vehicle that receives two stars has a 30% to 40% chance of rolling over in an emergency maneuver."

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) uses the following scale for rating the likelihood of a rollover during a single vehicle crash:

• Five-star:  less than 10%
• Four-star:  10% - 20%
• Three-star:  20% - 30%
• Two-star:  30% - 40%
• One-star: greater than 40%

In 2002, there were nearly 11 million crashes involving passenger cars, SUVs, pickups, or vans.  Of these, rollovers accounted for only 3% of the total crashes.  However, rollover accidents resulted in almost 33% of the total fatalities in the 11million crashes.

Automakers are working to improve safety ratings.  That can only benefit consumers in the future.  Regardless, the best defense for preventing rollover accidents - or any other vehicular accident -  is to be a safe and alert driver.

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