How easily did this roll over happen?

[SMAlset]

I'm sorry I'm having trouble understanding how this happened...a Toyota Rav4 driving down a street in what looks like the downtown section of Watsonville, clips a Chevy Malibu who was parallel parking, and the Toyota rolls over upside down on the street and lands in that position. Saw the photo in the article and was shocked. Does this vehicle have a particularly high center of gravity or is this due to something else? Happened 2 days ago. I would not want to be that woman having to explain it to her husband.

PHOTO: Woman injured in downtown rollover

 

[brkaus]

• Do SUVs have higher rollover rates than other types of vehicles?
  Yes. In 2000, SUVs had the highest rollover involvement rate of any vehicle type in fatal crashes -- 36 percent, as compared with 24 percent for pickups, 19 percent for vans and 15 percent for traffic cars. SUVs also had the highest rollover rate for passenger vehicles in injury crashes -- 12 percent, as compared to 7 percent for pickups, 4 percent for vans and 3 percent for passenger cars.
  
  

 

[mongo]

I'm sorry I'm having trouble understanding how this happened...a Toyota Rav4 driving down a street in what looks like the downtown section of Watsonville, clips a Chevy Malibu who was parallel parking, and the Toyota rolls over upside down on the street and lands in that position. Saw the photo in the article and was shocked. Does this vehicle have a particularly high center of gravity or is this due to something else? Happened 2 days ago. I would not want to be that woman having to explain it to her husband.

PHOTO: Woman injured in downtown rollover

Swerve and overreact?

 

[Shock-On-T]

• Do SUVs have higher rollover rates than other types of vehicles?
  Yes. In 2000, SUVs had the highest rollover involvement rate of any vehicle type in fatal crashes -- 36 percent, as compared with 24 percent for pickups, 19 percent for vans and 15 percent for traffic cars. SUVs also had the highest rollover rate for passenger vehicles in injury crashes -- 12 percent, as compared to 7 percent for pickups, 4 percent for vans and 3 percent for passenger cars.
  

I wonder if that study accounted for the different proportions of each vehicle type on the road?
In other words, if 36% of all vehicles were SUVs then it would be unremarkable if 36% of rollovers were SUVs.

 

[Shock-On-T]

• Do SUVs have higher rollover rates than other types of vehicles?
  Yes. In 2000, SUVs had the highest rollover involvement rate of any vehicle type in fatal crashes -- 36 percent, as compared with 24 percent for pickups, 19 percent for vans and 15 percent for traffic cars. SUVs also had the highest rollover rate for passenger vehicles in injury crashes -- 12 percent, as compared to 7 percent for pickups, 4 percent for vans and 3 percent for passenger cars.
  

I wonder if that study accounted for the different proportions of each vehicle type on the road?
In other words, if 36% of all vehicles were SUVs then it would be unremarkable if 36% of rollovers were SUVs.

 

[jelloslug]

This is how easy a small SUV can roll over (action starts at 00:28):

 

[brkaus]

I wonder if that study accounted for the different proportions of each vehicle type on the road?
In other words, if 36% of all vehicles were SUVs then it would be unremarkable if 36% of rollovers were SUVs.

Good question. No idea. It was a consumer reports stat that I was quoting. I didn't dig into it much.

I've seen various test videos (with a rig to keep them from tipping) that shows SUVs will go over pretty easily compared to a sedan.

 

[Shock-On-T]

Good question. No idea. It was a consumer reports stat that I was quoting. I didn't dig into it much.

I've seen various test videos (with a rig to keep them from tipping) that shows SUVs will go over pretty easily compared to a sedan.

For sure, they roll really easily, and I’m sure they are involved in more than their fair share of rollovers.
That would be tempered by people (at least on average) driving more conservatively than if they were in a sportier car.

 

[SMAlset]

This is how easy a small SUV can roll over (action starts at 00:28):

Wow that happened so easily! How is it possible to drive up onto another car?! No idea it was such a problem with these vehicles. Then again I can see a car downtown tipping on its side like that one in the video, in fact saw a photo of one of Uber's Volvo C90s on its side and scratched my head at the time, but this lady in Watsonville was upside down completely. That still amazes me.

 

[SMAlset]

After mulling over that video and seeing photos of even the Uber Volvo XC90 (which got 5 stars from one of the testing labs), I don't see how parents who buy SUVs to shuttle their kids around would choose these vehicles if it's that easy to run your car up and over another.

 

[Phillip L]

OMG. That was unbelievable! I have to show my wife this. I convinced her to get our Volt after she had had SUV’s for years and wanted another one. There is no way an ev with the battery pack under the floor could ever do that! Just like SMAIset said! Every parent looking for a vehicle to shuttle their kids around in should be made to watch that. When I wanted to convince her to have us buy the Model S it was the safety aspect of it that helped a lot.