And in other SUV (Suddenly Upside-down Vehicle) news...
Do you drive an SUV? Watch this.YouTube has the footage I just saw on Olbermann of a nasty SUV rollover crash. The thrust of Olbermann's coverage was that the woman walked away with minor injuries because she was wearing her seatbelt. I'm sure that is true, but I think he missed the bigger story here.
(Watch the video, eh?)
I don't think there can be any doubt that if the driver had been driving a car, there would have been no rollover in the first place. SUVs have a much higher center of gravity than cars do. If she had swerved that way in a car, she would likely have just skidded and/or spun, and had no injuries at all, and little or no damage to the vehicle.
Also, if you are ever in that circumstance, do NOT do what she did (swerve hard to get back onto the road) no matter what you are driving.)
But hey, $1.99 a gallon. Can't beat that.
(Watch the video, eh?)
I don't think there can be any doubt that if the driver had been driving a car, there would have been no rollover in the first place. SUVs have a much higher center of gravity than cars do. If she had swerved that way in a car, she would likely have just skidded and/or spun, and had no injuries at all, and little or no damage to the vehicle.
Also, if you are ever in that circumstance, do NOT do what she did (swerve hard to get back onto the road) no matter what you are driving.)
But hey, $1.99 a gallon. Can't beat that.
posted by bluememe at 5/24/2006
5 Comments:
"cum hoc ergo propter hoc"
I read that somewhere.
I have owned two Isuzu Troopers and have never been upside down in either vehicle. You don't think maybe the driver had something to do with this? You don't think any type of car might have rolled hitting the soft shoulder center strip at 70 or so?
I'm just saying.
First, hitting the median didn't start the roll. If she had just steered straight until she scrubbed off some speed, it would have been a non-event. She jerked the wheel to try to get back on the highway and the roll started when the tires hooked up while the SUV was still crossed up. A car will generally skid in that kind of situation.
I'm glad you've never turned turtle, man, but the laws of physics are what they are. The rollover rate for SUVs is roughly 3X that of cars.
I think the driver of the SUV did everything wrong (other than wearing a seatbelt, which saved her) -- but the high center of gravity turned her mistake into a near-tragedy.
You are absolutely right, there would have been no roll-over had it been a normal car.
aj
I think GMA is interviewing her this morning. I wonder how much she attributes her survival to the "safety" of being in an SUV...
This actually was driver error on, arguably, three parts. But it is what happens when you get that much mass that high high up going that fast making a sudden direction change. This is not the only vehicle that would flipped in the situation, but the extent of the roll is amazing.
The moral to me seems to be, lower, lighter vehicles and - most importantly - DEFENSIVE DRIVING FOR EVERYONE (every few years even...).
peace: cw
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