Driver Hospitalized After Hamilton Pool Rollover Crash
Recently, a young Dripping Springs man was taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries, after his car rolled over on Hamilton Pool Road. Lake Travis and Bee Cave police responded. Two men who happened to be passing played an integral role in getting the flaming vehicle upright, as well as extricating the driver from the flames, which is thought to have saved his life. While this young man appears to have been lucky, rollover crashes are among the most deadly types, and living through one can leave someone with significant medical bills. You may be able to seek compensation for yours if you believe that the accident was caused by another person’s negligent conduct.
Statistics Show Disproportionate Danger
Statistics from SaferCar, an initiative run by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), show that while rollovers make up a relatively small portion of car accidents each year (roughly 2.1 percent), that small number of accidents was responsible for almost 35 percent of all traffic accident deaths in the most recent data studied. Rollover accidents, especially multi-vehicle rollovers, have the tendency to be deadly because of the sheer weight and volume of matter being thrown around, and the extravagant way in which the vehicle can change position – if a car flips end over end, for example, it will understandably cause far more damage to anyone inside the vehicle than, say, a sideswipe collision.
Data from the NHTSA also shows, however, that in many rollovers, the occupants of the vehicle neglect to wear seat belts, which certainly adds to the fatality count. Without a seat belt, any damage done to the vehicle is acted upon the person in its cab, as one might guess; while restraints might not necessarily entirely protect someone from injury, statistics show a much lower proportion of belted drivers losing their lives in rollovers than those who neglected to buckle up.
Multiple Potential Causes
Like any automobile accident, rollover crashes can be caused by a variety of factors. Vehicles with higher centers of gravity, such as many SUVs and passenger vans, are more likely to roll over than those with lower centers of gravity like regular automobiles. Speed is a demonstrable factor in rollovers as well, as a large number of these types of accidents will occur when a driver is engaged in a relatively simple maneuver like negotiating a curve (thus leading to overconfidence or distraction). Alcohol usage is also a very common factor – nearly half of fatal rollovers involved alcohol in NHTSA statistics, and one does not necessarily have to be drunk in order to show impaired judgment.
One statistic that may be troublesome to injured drivers is that the large majority of rollover accidents are single-vehicle, meaning that only one car or truck sustained damage. You may think that if your accident was classed as single-vehicle, it means there is no one to sue for their alleged negligent conduct. In reality, this is not the case, as just because another driver’s vehicle did not sustain damage or become involved in the crash itself does not necessarily mean that their conduct did not precipitate the accident. Contacting an attorney is always a good idea, so as to obtain a clearer picture of your options.
Seek Experienced Legal Help Today
While the young man on Hamilton Pool Road appears to have dodged the proverbial bullet, not every rollover accident will end with such relatively light consequences. If you have been involved in a rollover crash, the skilled New Braunfels car accident attorneys at the Bettersworth Law Firm may be able to help you obtain the compensation you need, so your medical bills are paid and you can focus on healing. Call our office today at 888-392-0039 to schedule a free consultation.
Sources:
https://www.statesman.com/news/20190207/man-hospitalized-after-fiery-crash-on-hamilton-pool-road
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/809438
https://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle-Shoppers/Rollover/Fatalities
