Serving southern Vermont since 2005

Prevent SUV Rollover Crashes

Driving an SUV poses several conditions that put the driver at increased risk of having a crash. And, according to NHTSA, rollover crashes account for most of the recent increase in SUV fatalities.

Most driver training programs use vehicles that are small and economical to operate. Does that mean we cannot teach SUV survival techniques? Absolutely not! You can teach the RIGHT STUFF in any vehicle, and it should apply to all vehicles.

Whether a motorcycle or an eighteen-wheeler, visual perception training to manage space is the same. If we isolate the true essence of the art and science of driving the only differences between vehicles are the options a driver has prescribed by the limitations, or capabilities, of the vehicle...

We need to prepare drivers during their initial training on how to control the vehicle from getting involved in a crash - and the techniques that we teach need to apply to all vehicles, especially SUVs.

The probability of having a rollover crash in an SUV increases as size and speed increases. The bigger the SUV and the faster it is traveling the greater the rollover risk becomes. Ford Motor Company recently had to pay a multi-million dollar settlement in a class action suit for falsely advertising the safety of SUV?s. As part of their settlement, a program was developed to reach a major target group of 18- to 34-year old male drivers. This program is an after-licensing attempt to correct a problem: licensed, experienced adult drivers, not only teens, are not properly trained to operate an SUV when a normal situation turns into a demanding, split-second, out-of-balance maneuver.

Among the many factors that increases the risk of a rollover fatality are: excessive speed for road conditions, excess speed entering a cornering situation, being surprised by LOS-POT (Line-Of-Sight, Path-Of-Travel) blockages that suddenly reduce the space the driver intended to occupy, following others with less than four seconds of space, overloading, or improperly loading, passengers and cargo, not maintaining high enough tire pressure, and failure to wear safety belts.

You are driving an SUV when it hits a patch of black ice and suddenly it is spinning towards the school bus. Where must you look? To the target area! However, the untrained driver will instinctively look at the school bus...

Send mail to mhenkle@sover.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2006 Westminster Driving School