How Do Cars Flip Over in Chicago?

Expert Legal Counsel for Rollover Car Accidents in Chicago, IL

“How do cars flip over?” becomes a pressing concern for those who have been in a serious car crash along Chicago’s many highways. Whether on coastal roads with strong winds, like Lake Shore Drive, or high-speed interstates like I-55, many fatal rollover accidents occur on Chicago’s roads.

When a car rolls onto its side or hood, passengers may be seriously injured or even killed. A Chicago rollover accident attorney from our team can help you get justice for these crashes, ensuring you receive the compensation you deserve.

Types of Vehicle Rollovers

There are two types of rollovers.

Tripped Rollovers

Rollover accident statistics show most rollovers are untripped, especially single-vehicle rollovers. This might happen when the vehicle hits an external object, like a curb or guardrail.

Untripped Rollovers

These occur when a vehicle rolls because the driver loses control, such as by swerving at high speed. Untripped rollovers are more common in top-heavy vehicles, which are more vulnerable to sideways force.

What to Do After a Vehicle Flip-Over Accident

Regardless of why your vehicle rolls over, you must stay at the accident scene, contact emergency responders, and get medical attention right away. If other drivers are involved, call the police to make a report before a towing vehicle comes in.

You should also exchange information with any other drivers, then contact a Chicago attorney for expert legal representation. We can determine why the crash occurred to determine liability.

Factors Contributing to Rollovers

Three forces act on a vehicle in a rollover: the wheels pushing inward (centripetal force), inertia pushing the car straight forward (centrifugal force), and gravity. If two forces – tire force and inertia – overcome gravity, then the vehicle starts to roll onto its side. Many factors contribute to whether this happens, such as vehicle design, driver behavior, and road conditions.

Vehicle Design and Stability

How a vehicle is designed plays a huge role in its stability and susceptibility to rolling over. Some key factors of a car’s design and stability are:

Track Width: The distance between the left and right wheels. A vehicle with a wider track is usually more stable and less likely to roll over.

Center of Gravity: The height of the vehicle’s center of gravity is arguably the most critical factor in a rollover car accident. High-sided vehicles, like box trucks, are more likely to roll over because they’re slightly more unstable when making sudden moves.

Weight Distribution: A heavily loaded box truck, a vehicle towing another object, or a semi-truck can cause a rollover, especially if it is not loaded properly.

Suspension Design: A poorly designed suspension system can increase the risk of flipping over.

Speed and Maneuvers

Driving practices can increase the risk of rollovers. These include:

Sharp Turns: Abrupt turns, such as overcorrecting or avoiding something, can cause the vehicle to become unstable.

Excessive Speed: This is especially dangerous on highway exits and curves. However, passenger vehicles can turn over even on straight roads if they hit something while traveling at a high rate of speed.

Steering Input: The way the vehicle is steered can cause a car accident. Oversteering occurs when the rear wheels lose traction, and understeering is when the front wheels lose traction. Both can result in the vehicle sliding sideways, increasing the risk of a tripped rollover.

Sudden Maneuvers: Emergency maneuvers or swerves can shift a vehicle’s weight, potentially leading to a rollover.

Road Conditions and Hazards

You could be doing everything right, like following the speed limit, and there’s still a risk of a car accident because of road conditions. Some road condition factors that contribute to a higher rollover risk are:

Potholes and Road Damage: Chicago is unfortunately infamous for its potholes. Hitting a pothole or a damaged road can cause a vehicle to become unstable and then roll over.

Uneven Surfaces: Soft ground or steep slopes increase rollover risks, especially in top-heavy vehicles.

Weather Conditions: Rain, snow, and ice can also lead to rollover crashes, especially when the driver overcorrects or isn’t paying attention. This is particularly common in places like Lower Wacker Drive.

Debris on the Road: Obstacles on the road can cause drivers to swerve or tip over if they hit an object.

Poor Visibility: Any condition that reduces the driver’s ability to see well on the road can lead to rollover crashes.

Driver Behavior, Collisions, and Impacts

Collisions with other vehicles or objects can trigger rollovers, particularly at high speeds or when the impact occurs at certain angles, including the following.

Collision Avoidance: When a driver swerves suddenly to avoid an object, the vehicle can flip over, especially if the driver overcorrects or the car is top-heavy.

Side Impacts: A hit to one side may lead a vehicle to roll over on the opposite side from the impact.

Glancing Blows: Angled impacts might destabilize the car and cause a rollover.

Guardrail Impacts: If a vehicle runs into a guardrail or other barrier, it may flip.

Multi-Vehicle Pileups: One driver losing control can cause other vehicles to flip.

Vehicle Types Prone to a Rollover Accident

Any vehicle can be involved in rollover accidents, but several types are more prone to them than others.

SUVs and Trucks

These are at a higher risk of rollovers because they have a higher center of gravity and a narrow truck width compared to their height. They may also be top-heavy due to large roofs.

Truck driver behavior may also contribute to rollovers because they feel safer. As such, they may be more prone to aggressive driving or distracted driving.

Lastly, off-road vehicles have higher ground clearance and softer suspensions to tolerate a variety of road conditions, which increases the risk of a rollover.

Newer truck and SUV models often come with advanced safety features and stability control systems to help limit the risk of rollover accidents or collisions. Still, drivers must remain vigilant and understand how these vehicles are inherently more prone to these accidents.

Smaller Cars and Sedans

Just because they’re less prone to rollover accidents than trucks and SUVs, smaller cars and sedans are still at risk under certain circumstances. Issues such as high winds, overloading, and high-speed collisions, especially with side impacts, can cause a rollover.

Additionally, issues like improperly inflated tires can cause the car to flip over, as properly inflated tires resist centrifugal forces and allow the vehicle to stay stable.

Any vehicle, no matter how large, may be likely to suffer from untripped rollovers while driving up or down steep inclines, making it essential to practice caution while driving along twisting roads.

Safety Features and Vehicle Rollover Prevention

As technology advances, so do the safety features in many cars on the road. Newer vehicle models come with safety features that can help prevent rollover accidents and protect you, your passengers, and other vehicles on the road.

Knowing what features can help prevent these accidents can help you make informed decisions about vehicle safety.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

One of the most critical safety features to help prevent rollovers is Electronic Stability Control (ESC). ESC monitors a vehicle’s steering and motion, so when it detects a loss of steering control, it applies brakes to individual wheels to reduce engine power and help the driver maintain control.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), ESC can help reduce single-car crashes by 59% for SUVs and 34% for smaller vehicles. Since the technology emerged, ESC has become standard in all newer model vehicles in the United States since 2012 (49 CFR § 571.126).

Rollover Protection Systems (ROPS)

Rollover Protection Systems are also essential in helping prevent or mitigate the damage in these accidents. Some of the protections in place with this feature include:

• Side curtain airbags along the windows that stay inflated longer than front airbags;
• Stronger roof pillars and supports prevent the roof from crushing vehicle occupants in the event of a rollover accident;
• Advanced rollover sensors to help detect when one is imminent or happening, so it can activate the proper safety features;
• Crumple zones to absorb the impact energy.

These features help reduce the severity of impact in rollover collisions, but the best strategy for preventing these accidents is still to be vigilant on the road.

Seat Belts and Proper Restraint Use

Chicago mandates seat belt usage because it saves lives (§9-76-180). They help by:

• Restraining the injured occupants so they aren’t ejected from the vehicle
• Keeping occupants in the best position possible for other safety features like airbags to work correctly
• Absorbing the forces experienced by occupants during a rollover or other crash

Using age-appropriate child car seats and belts is the best way for young children to mitigate the damage in a rollover accident or collision.

Determining Liability in Rollover Accidents

Determining who’s liable in a rollover insurance claim can be complicated because there is usually more than one factor or party involved at the accident scene. Some things to consider when establishing liability in these accidents include:

Driver Negligence: If the driver was speeding, driving under the influence, or recklessly driving, and the vehicle tips over, they can be liable.

Road Conditions: Poor road maintenance or design that causes an accident can mean government officials are liable.

Vehicle Defects: Any design or manufacturing flaws in the vehicle that contributed to the accident can make the manufacturer liable.

Cargo Loading: Illinois requires all cargo to be properly secured so that it will not drop or shift during transit (§625 ILCS 5/15-109). Improperly loading cargo, particularly in commercial vehicles, can contribute to rollovers, and the person or organization who loaded the cargo can be liable, as determined in the Illinois Supreme Court Case Foreman v. Gunite Corporation.

Other Drivers: In multi-vehicle accidents, another driver’s actions might make them liable if they caused the rollover.

Seeking Compensation for Damages

If you’ve been a victim of a rollover accident, you might be entitled to different types of compensation. The amount and kind of compensatory damages you’re entitled to will depend on the specific circumstances of your rollover accident:

• Medical expenses for current and future costs related to injuries
• Therapy costs
• Lost wages if you can’t work due to the injury
• Property damage costs associated with repairing or replacing your vehicle
• Pain and suffering
• Punitive damages

Seeking compensation can be complex, especially when liability isn’t clear. That’s why hiring a great car accident attorney in Chicago is vital. They’ll be able to walk you through the process and secure a fair settlement.

Expert Legal Counsel Near You!

If you or someone you love has been involved in a rollover accident, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers are here to protect your rights. We’ll build a strong case to ensure you get fair compensation based on the injuries you’ve sustained. Contact a Chicago-based personal injury lawyer today for your free consultation and to learn about your legal options.

Call (888)-424-5757 or fill out our online contact form.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.