Rollover Accidents | Seattle Personal Injury & Accident Blog

Seattle Rollover Accident Causes Critical Injuries

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on August 5, 2014

A driver and passenger were seriously injured in a Seattle car accident involving a vehicle rollover. According to a KOMO news report, the rollover accident occurred on northbound Interstate 5 in South Seattle. Officials say the driver and passenger were ejected when the vehicle went high up on an embankment near the freeway and flipped. Both injured victims sustained critical injuries and were rushed to Harborview Medical Center.

Rollover accidents often result in serious injuries or death. In fact, rollovers result in fatal injuries much more often than other types of accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2.7 percent of occupants in passenger vehicles that rolled over were killed in the year 2004. Only .2 percent of occupants in vehicles that crashed but did not roll over were killed. Even though there are many more accidents involving vehicles that do not roll over, about one third of all passenger vehicles traffic deaths in the year 2004 involved vehicle rollovers. Read the rest »

Kittitas County Rollover Accident Claims Lake Forest Park Teen’s Life

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on December 19, 2012

An 18 year old from Lake Forest Park lost his life and four others were injured after a one-car rollover accident approximately 18 miles outside Ellensburg in Kittitas County, Washington recently, according to an article in The Yakima Herald.

According to investigators, the SUV involved in the accident was being driven by a 19-year-old woman from Kent when the vehicle slid on the icy road. It veered off the road to the left and rolled over. The driver and two other passengers suffered minor injuries. They were taken to a local hospital by rescue workers, where they were treated and then sent home to recover. Read the rest »

Rollover Crash in North Spokane Causes Fatal Injuries

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on May 23, 2012

A rollover accident on Highway 395 near North Spokane this morning took the life of the driver in the rolled vehicle, according to a news report from KXLY.

Investigators say that the driver of the vehicle, a Dodge Ram pickup truck, apparently lost control of the vehicle, which slipped off the side of the road and rolled. The driver was killed when the vehicle rolled over. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time. Investigators have not yet determined whether a mechanical failure or other problem caused the rollover accident. Read the rest »

Rollover Crashes Create a Higher Risk of Death

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on May 3, 2012

A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently found that the risk of death in rollover crashes is significantly higher than in any other type of crash, especially if vehicle occupants are not wearing their seat belts.

The study examined crash data for several consecutive years. It found that 33 percent of deaths in car accidents nationwide occur in rollover crashes. Sports utility vehicles, or SUVs, were most likely to roll over, followed by pickup trucks, minivans, and cars. Passengers in a rollover crash were over 10 times more likely to die than passengers in a crash that did not involve a rollover. Read the rest »

Study Finds Brain and Spine Injuries Common in Rollover Accidents

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on April 19, 2012

A recent study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that injuries to the brain and spinal cord are common in vehicle rollover accidents. Injuries to the chest, including the ribs and internal organs, were also common, according to researchers.

The NHTSA study found that 25 percent of those who lose their lives in rollover crashes were not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident. Failing to wear a seat belt in a rollover makes it more likely the person will be thrown from the vehicle, increasing the likelihood of a fatal head or spinal cord injury. Read the rest »