SUV rollover car accidents kill one of every four people who die in auto crashes, the federal government says. Yet while consumers can find out how vehicles perform in government crash tests, they cannot tell which vehicles are most prone to rolling over in an accident. Statistically, rollover accidents are the most likely auto-related accidents to result in injury or death.

In addition, rollover accidents are the fastest growing source of fatalities in auto accidents, accounting for 82% of the increase in fatalities in auto accidents last year. While other vehicles are susceptible, sport utility vehicles (SUVs) experience the highest rate of rollovers. This is typically attributable to a high center of gravity, and, in the case of certain SUVs, a relatively narrow wheelbase.

Approximately 25 percent of new cars sold in the U.S. are SUVs. Many drivers purchase SUVs with a mistaken idea that they are safer than smaller vehicles. The statistics show otherwise. While SUVs are generally safer when hit from the front or sides, they are far more likely to roll over. There is an increased risk of injury in SUV rollover accidents due to the limited roof crush protection offered by many of these vehicles. Roof crush-the collapse of the roof due to lack of adequate structural side support-increases the likelihood of head injury, paralysis, passenger ejection, and death. SUV manufacturers have been slow to address rollover problems in ways that will significantly reduce risks for passengers.

Another safety concern for people traveling the freeways is the risk SUVs pose for other drivers. A report on SUV rollover car accidents by PBS found that Ford Explorers were "16 times as likely as the typical family car to kill occupants of another vehicle in a crash." The concerns of other drivers are real; especially as larger SUV models are gaining popularity.

In the U.S. more than 8,000 people die in single-vehicle rollover accidents every year, reports Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.

Certain categories of vehicles, such as sport utility vehicles and small pickup trucks, are more prone to rollover than other classes of vehicles.

In 1998, more than 8,000 people died in single-vehicle rollover crashes. Rollovers are among the most dangerous types of vehicle crashes because of their high incidence of occupant ejection and head injuries.

Many factors contribute to the occurrence of rollover crashes. Rollover correlates closely with unsafe and reckless driving behaviors, poor road design and vehicle type. Certain categories of vehicles, such as sport utility vehicles and small pickup trucks, are more prone to rollover than other classes of vehicles.

At present, the federal government has established no performance standard to require improved vehicle stability to reduce the incidence of vehicle rollovers. In addition, current vehicle crash protection requirements do not adequately protect against the types of serious injuries most often associated with rollover crashes.

In the fall of 2002, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposed a regulation that would impose test requirements that would subject SUVs to realistic maneuvers that would determine rollover stability and resistance.

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