Rollover Crash Accident in WA
Rollover accidents are some of the most serious accidents that can happen, and they can cause injuries and even death. On Sunday, November 17th of 2024, a rollover crash happened in Cowlitz County. The driver of a 2005 Honda Accord was going east on State Route 4/Ocean Beach Highway when he lost control of the vehicle. He hit an embankment at a high speed, causing the vehicle to roll. It came to a stop in the eastbound lane. Just before five in the morning, authorities were alerted to a devastating rollover accident at milepost 48, near Longview and west of Stella. The car was upside-down and blocking the road. The vehicle was completely mangled and totaled.
Cowlitz County Fire and Longview Fire crews and ambulances quickly arrived at the scene. They found that one of the car’s passengers had been ejected from the vehicle. Two people were injured and in critical condition, while the other four people were also injured but less severely. All six of them were from Longview. The passengers were a 17-year-old minor whose name wasn’t released, 19-year-old Darrell Garcia, 20-year-old Savannah Moyer, 20-year-old Albert Murrieta, and 22-year-old Kylei Croy.
The four passengers with more minor injuries were able to stand and walk. Five of the car’s occupants were transported to a local hospital, PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center, for treatment. Croy was taken to Oregon Health & Science University, a medical center, to be evaluated.
On the evening of Sunday the 17th, Washington State Patrol stated that the driver of the vehicle, 27-year-old Makiah Voorhees, was charged with reckless endangerment, driving under the influence, and vehicular assault. It is unclear whether or not he was under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or both. As of Monday afternoon, Voorhees was in Cowlitz County Jail. No further information has been released to the public as of yet.
Rollover accidents are unfortunately more common than one would think. They are very dangerous, accounting for the highest fatality rate out of all types of car accidents. Over 10,000 people die every year in America from rollover accidents. A rollover accident is when a vehicle is knocked on its side, or completely rolls onto its roof. Rollover accidents have been growing more common as there are more lightweight trucks and sport utility vehicles on the road. These types of vehicles are more susceptible to rolling over than other types of passenger cars. This is because they have a higher center of gravity.
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There are a variety of ways that a rollover accident can happen. Dangerous weather such as ice, high winds, and heavy rain can cause rollover accidents because they make it more difficult to control a vehicle. A driver can lose traction with the road and be unable to stop or slow down, leading to the car rolling. Aggressive driving can also cause rollover accidents because of the forces involved. An aggressive driver may hit into another vehicle or take risks that lead to a rollover accident.
A rollover accident can also happen if a vehicle drives over something such as a guardrail, curb, or uneven pavement, that causes the vehicle to tip. Additionally, if a vehicle makes a sharp drop, it can’t safely maneuver and could potentially roll over. Another cause is side-impact collisions. In accidents involving multiple vehicles, the force of a side impact can push a car over, or knock it off of the road if there’s no guardrail.
Something similar can happen if a vehicle makes a sharp turn or is going up a steep incline; it loses balance and tips over. Changing directions too quickly or speeding on a curvy road can also lead to rollovers. Improperly loaded or overloaded cargo can also cause a vehicle to be imbalanced. The more cargo on a truck, the more top-heavy it becomes, which makes the vehicle more likely to tip over.
Another cause of rollover accidents is poor vehicle design. SUVs, vans, and trucks that are tall and narrow have a higher center of gravity, which causes a similar issue to overloaded cargo. This makes them more likely to rollover than smaller vehicles that are closer to the road. Sometimes, car manufacturers do not properly test how a vehicle’s balance may lead to rollover accidents.
However, at the end of the day the leading cause of rollover accidents is driver error (such as in the case discussed in this article). Around 78 percent of truck rollover accidents in America happen because of driver error. This includes factors such as driving under the influence, distracted driving, driving while tired, reckless behaviors such as speeding, and more.
Because of the violent nature of this type of accident, rollover crashes often result in serious injuries. A person could be ejected from the vehicle, or hurt by loose objects in the vehicle. They could also suffer blunt trauma from hitting into the interior of the vehicle. Victims of rollover accidents often suffer injuries in multiple areas of the body. Some of the most vulnerable areas include the head and neck. Some of the most common types of injuries that people suffer from rollover accidents include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, cuts and lacerations, and bruises and contusions. Victims may also suffer internal bleeding, blunt force trauma, amputations, disability, psychological trauma, and more.
Victims of rollover accidents often end up saddled with expensive damages from what happened. Not only do they have to deal with healing from their injuries, but they have to pay medical bills, lose income from missing work, and experience pain and suffering. All of these factors add up, causing a huge burden to injury victims. Thankfully, personal injury lawyers can help you recover compensation if you were injured in a rollover accident caused by another party. Injury victims deserve to be able to move forward and live the best lives they can.
If you or a loved one was injured in a car accident, Sears Injury Law is here to help. We are here to represent your best interests, stand up for your rights, and see your case through until the end.
With the help of our experienced personal injury attorneys, you can ensure that you will receive the most compensation possible for what you have been through.