Authorities are investigating the cause of a fatal SUV rollover accident Sunday afternoon in Lakeside. The victim, a Valley Center man who was not immediately identified, was driving on State Route 67, north of Slaughterhouse Canyon Road when, for unknown reasons, he drifted onto a soft shoulder near a call box. He overcorrected and his 1994 Jeep Cherokee rolled over. The vehicle came to rest on its wheels, but the roof of the vehicle caved in and caused massive fatal head injuries. The crash was reported at about 2:35 p.m. Sunday, February 21st, according to the San Diego Union Tribune.
SUV rollover accidents such as this one pose a significant risk to motorists. The physics of a rollover crash are different than those of other crashes. Whereas head-on collisions occur over a fraction of a second, rollover accidents occur over several seconds. The forces of a rollover accident are less severe than that of a head-on collision, and many accidents are related to the safety features of the vehicle. In this case, the driver was wearing a seat belt. If the vehicle structure had not caved in and compromised the driver's headroom, he likely would have survived.
We sympathize with the family of the man killed in this devastating accident. While the cause of the accident remains under investigation, the family may consider speaking with a San Diego SUV rollover accident attorney. Depending on the unique circumstances of the crash, if the accident resulted from a design defect in the vehicle itself, the family may be entitled to compensation from the manufacturer of the vehicle for the victim's wrongful death. An attorney can consult with experts and engineers to further the investigation and determine exactly how an accident occurred.
Sources: Signonsandiego.com
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