- Causes of rollover car accidents
- Vehicles prone to upside-down crashes
- Safe evacuation in a rollover car accident
Following safe driving tips and a regular vehicle maintenance schedule is the best way to avoid any untoward situation. However, accidents can happen when we least expect them. Among the many types of vehicular accidents is a rollover car accident. It is certainly one of the most petrifying experiences a driver and passengers can endure. In such a crisis, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and disoriented. Knowing how to react and take action can make a big difference.
To understand how to safely evacuate in a rollover car accident, let’s first learn more about upside-down car crashes.
What Causes a Car to Flip Over?
Here are some of the most common causes of vehicle rollover accidents.
Tripping
This occurs when a car’s tyre hits an obstacle like a curb or ditch, shifting the vehicle’s weight to one side. Tripping often leads to an upside-down car accident before balance can be regained. Note that a car with higher ground clearance loses traction easily and is more prone to tripping.
Overspeeding
Driving at high speeds around curves or taking turns too fast can cause tyres to lose the road grip. Therefore, overspeeding is one of the obvious things you should avoid while driving.
External Weather Conditions
Rainy weather can make roads slippery, increasing the risk of cars skidding off the road and flipping over. However, following these safety precautions for driving in the rain can help avoid such risks and other mishaps.
Collision with Other Vehicles
Be it a side crash or a head-on collision, the force from another vehicle can be strong enough to tip your car. Considering such unpredictable outcomes, different types of car crash tests are conducted to minimise potential damage.
Which Vehicles Are Most Likely to Roll Over?
The chances of a rollover crash depend on various factors, primarily the car’s body type and ground clearance. While an upside-down accident is possible with any car, its likelihood increases in vehicles with higher ground clearance. That said, newer vehicles come with Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) features.
Such upgrades have made our vehicles safer, minimising the risks of flip-overs. Safety should also be on our minds when installing auto lift kits. When altering a vehicle’s ground clearance, it is important to observe all expert-recommended precautionary standards.
Tips to Safely Evacuate in a Rollover Car Accident
Now we’ll discuss some ways to evacuate in a rollover car accident. Remember to follow them in a step-by-step manner to ensure a safe evacuation.
Prepare for the Impact
There is only a brief moment between the incident and the moment a car flips. It is when appropriate reaction and action can make all the difference. Try not to grab the steering wheel and try to bring it back into control. The car has already lost control and nothing can be done now.
Instead, passengers and drivers both need to brace themselves for the upcoming impact. For instance:
- Arms should be crossed around the body while pressing oneself up against the seat as hard as possible.
- The head should be lowered a bit so that if the car starts to roll over, the roof doesn’t reach the head when it collapses.
Escaping from a Stuck Seat Belt
Lowering the impact of the accident becomes easier when someone is wearing a seat belt. Moreover, one of the noteworthy benefits of wearing a seat belt is protection against injuries from tipping over wrecked pieces.
That said, seat belts may often get stuck in flip-over car crashes. It is because the entire body weight is pushing against them, making unlocking nearly impossible. To tackle such a situation, make sure to add a seat belt cutter to the car emergency kit.
Remember to Breathe
In such a high-stress moment, it is understandable to feel afraid and overwhelmed. However, try to stay as calm as possible. Remember to breathe and carefully assess the surroundings to work on the escape plan.
Those who lose their cool end up skipping crucial steps. That said, to ensure a safe escape, it is important to maintain composure and stay focused on the necessary actions. For instance, only start worrying about safely towing your vehicle, once you are completely out of harm’s way.
Check for Injuries
The next step is to check for any injuries. Look from head to toe for any signs of pain, bleeding or bruises. Ask the passengers to do the same. If someone is injured, treat the wounds from the first aid box in the car until help arrives.
Turn off the Car Engine
Don’t leave the engine of the flipped-over car running. Turn it off right away to prevent further damage. In the worst-case scenario, a running engine can catch fire due to fuel leaks in a car crash.
Make sure to turn off the engine before exiting the car, as it won’t be safe to re-enter an upside-down vehicle. Even in a normal routine, engine idling shouldn’t be made a habit since it increases a car’s fuel consumption.
Safely Exit the Car
Once everyone is in an appropriate condition to move and the engine is turned off, it’s time to exit the car. Watch out for shattered glass and other debris while exiting the vehicle. Try to move faster with a sense of urgency to move away from the vehicle. The sooner you exit, the safer it is.
Watch Out for Moving Traffic
While walking out of the car, watch out for the moving traffic. The impact of accidents often slows down human reflexes. Don’t start walking in the middle of the road. Instead, stay on a footpath or the pedestrian lane of the road and wait for help. Read these safety tips for roadside emergencies for more resourceful information.
Call for Help
The next important step would be to reach out for help. For UAE residents, help is always a call away. For instance, those who require Dubai Ambulance Service can simply dial 998. Whereas those seeking police assistance can call 999.
Similarly, there are many car recovery services in Dubai and other Emirates. They can be called to tow vehicles, jump start a car, fuel delivery and other emergency services.
There you have it – some important tips to safely evacuate a rollover car accident. In such a predicament, every step and action can have decisive consequences. Likewise, to help ease rescue operations for others, always make way for emergency vehicles on the road.
Safety features in modern cars make them less prone to crashes. Therefore, when picking among used cars for sale in the UAE, carefully compare their ADAS specifications to make an informed choice.
For more updates on how to evacuate in a rollover car accident safely, keep following our auto blog.
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