According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 280,000 rollover collisions occur every year. These collisions claim the lives of more than 10,000 people. Some of the recent news accidents which took place in 2014 are the following:

August 2014-Juvenile Dies after Rollover Accident

The Kentucky State Police reported that a teenager driving a Chevy S10 lost control of the vehicle that hit a tree and overturned. Without a seatbelt, the driver was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger in the vehicle was wearing a seat belt and did not suffer injuries.

July 2014-Three Injured in Rollover Collision on U.S. 150.

A Nissan failed to yield to a pickup when entering the eastbound lane of the highway, which resulted in a rollover collision. The occupants of the Nissan were airlifted to a medical facility. The pickup driver was also transported to a local hospital for treatment.

May 2014-Henry County Man Dies in Rollover

A man was driving his vehicle north on Kentucky 193 when the vehicle left the roadway for unknown reasons. After colliding with a tree, the vehicle flipped multiple times. Though wearing a seatbelt, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

January 2014-Teen Injured in Rollover

An 18-year-old suffered multiple injuries after rolling a Nissan Altima on Fort Campbell Boulevard. The vehicle left the road for undisclosed reasons, hit a barrier and flipped. The investigation was ongoing at the time of the report.

Vehicle Instability

Accidents due to rollover collision mostly involve minivans, pickup trucks or SUVs. A high center of gravity combined with a narrow vehicle width creates instability when a vehicle attempts to make fast, sharp turns or sudden changes in direction.

In the statistics compiled in 2003, more than 35 percent of fatal collisions involving SUVs included a rollover incident. If carrying heavy loads, the vehicles become more top heavy, which increases the likelihood that a rollover might occur. Rollovers involving conventional passenger cars occurred at a rate of less than half of that compared to SUVs.

There are no federal standards in existence to prevent this occurrence when vehicles are designed or manufactured. However, as of 2001, the NHTSA developed a rollover rating system. Each vehicle receives one to five stars based on the the center of gravity and the width between the front tires. A vehicle awarded one star indicates a rollover risk of more than 40 percent. A five-star rating means the risk is reduced to less than 10 percent.

Personal Injury Attorneys

A thorough investigation following a rollover collision reveals whether the incident was caused by road conditions, vehicle defect or driver error. In addition to physical injuries, victims also typically endure financial hardship from accumulating medical bills and a loss of income while recuperating. Someone involved in a rollover collision may be entitled to monetary compensation. A personal injury attorney evaluates accident cases and advises potential clients of their rights under the law. By consulting with an experienced attorney, rollover collision victims have a legal advocate when desiring to file an injury claim.