SUV Misses Pedestrian, Rolls Over Downtown
A pedestrian just missed being struck by a rolling SUV downtown in an accident that, incredibly, left everyone without injuries. In what turned out to be a very strange accident, two vehicle collided at the intersection of 1st Avenue and Ash Street in downtown San Diego. According to witnesses, the SUV overturned and sustained major damage.
One woman was standing in line outside a building when she heard a loud crash and looked up to see the SUV “flipping in the air.” The vehicle came to earth in a shower of glass, narrowly missing a woman who was walking down the sidewalk, according to the witness.
Incredibly, no one was hurt in the accident.
Rollovers Often Deadly
It is not often that we hear a story like this one, in which a rollover accident causes no injuries. In fact, rollover accidents are some of the most deadly types of all, according to statistics.
According to statistics gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were a total of 9,873 deaths due to rollover crashes in the year 2000. While rollovers accounted for only three percent of all crashes that year, they accounted for a full 20 percent of driver and passenger fatalities.
Those who are injured or killed in rollover accidents are often found to have been unrestrained. If you are not wearing a seat belt at the time of a rollover, it is very likely that you will be ejected or at least thrown around the car during the crash.
Finally, the NHTSA found that the rising popularity of light trucks and SUVs may contribute to the high number of rollovers as these vehicles are more likely to flip than others due to their different center of gravity.
Victims of Rollover Crashes Have Rights
If you are riding in the car with someone who causes a rollover crash, or if you are a driver who experiences a rollover due to the negligence of someone else, you may be able to collect monetary damages to pay for your expenses from the accident. Victims may be entitled to payment of medical bills, including hospital stays, surgery and medications; payment for lost wages and living expenses; and payment for pain, suffering and mental anguish. Contact the law offices of Daniel M. Gilleon in San Diego to learn more about how to collect compensation for a rollover case.
