Our Lynwood Area Dodge Dealership Tells You How to Prevent a Rollover

June 9th, 2015 by

One moment of inattention can turn your vehicle into a glass and steel deathtrap. This is not the kind of accident from which people generally walk away from. If you do survive, the repairs to your vehicle are usually astronomical in cost. Prevention of a rollover starts before you ever start the car, as you will see from the tips below from our Lynwood area Dodge dealership.

Pick Your Vehicle

SUV rollover lawsuits have been frequent in recent years. SUVs are three times more likely to roll over than a standard passenger car. Trucks, SUVs, and minivans have a high center of gravity, which means the heaviest part of the vehicle is further away from the road than other cars.

Therefore, you may want to choose a vehicle that has a low center of gravity and a wheel base which is wide.  If you have to go with an SUV, check into electronic stability control. This is computerized technology which can detect loss of steering control. If the SUV skids, ESC measures the direction of the skid and puts on the brakes on every wheel asymmetrically.

Know Your Vehicle

A vehicle that is overloaded and flying around a corner or abruptly stopping is unstable. Know the recommended weight limit for your vehicle and realize that the way in which the weight is distributed can affect the stability as well, such as using your roof rack to carry heavy furniture.

Safe Habits to Practice

Once you know your vehicle, you can be confident about starting the engine. However, don’t let that give you a false sense of security. Replace bad habits which could cause a rollover with safe ones.

  • Keep an eye on your speed. If you are driving over 55 mph, the chances of a rollover increase greatly.
  • Keep sober. Over half of rollover accidents involve at least one intoxicated driver.
  • Be careful around bends and on exit ramps. If you fly around a curve or jerk the wheel, one side of your vehicle can tip over.
  • Keep your seatbelt on. Almost all deaths in a rollover are because no seatbelt was worn.
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