Rollover Safety and New Roof Rule
New Roof Rule for Rollover Safety
The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and regulations with which automobile manufacturers must comply were first enacted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in March 1967 to provide manufacturers with guidelines regarding minimum safety performance requirements. Since 1967, new standards have been added and existing standards have been amended. These changes have been necessary due to the evolution and expansion of automobile manufacturing. In 1973, FMVSS 216 was enacted. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, FMVSS 216 “specified requirements for roof crush resistance over the passenger compartment.” The intent of FMVSS 216 was to provide protection to individuals involved in rollover crashes by ensuring that automobile manufacturers adhered to federal roof standards. In April 2009, FMVSS 216 was amended to provide better protection for those involved in rollover crashes and extended the standards applicability to both heavier trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUV).
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that more than 280,000 rollover accidents are reported each year. As a result of these accidents, approximately 10,000 individuals are killed on a yearly basis. Many of these fatal accidents involve SUVs and trucks. Until the 2009 amendment to FMVSS 216, most SUVs and trucks were exempt from federal roof standards. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Status Report the amendment will begin being phased-in in the year 2012, and all automobile manufacturers will be expected to comply with the amendment by the year 2017. This means that all passenger cars, trucks and SUVs up to 10,000 pounds will be subject to federal roof standards. These standards will apply to both the driver and the passenger side of the vehicle’s roof.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Commission reports that only 2 percent of accidents involve rollovers, but these accidents account for approximately 33 percent of all vehicle related fatalities. In Florida, approximately 25 percent of motor vehicle fatalities were the result of rollover crashes in 2007 according to the Traffic Safety Performance (Core Outcome) Measures provided by the NHTSA. In 2007, Georgia (31%), Alabama (40%), and California (29%) all had higher percentages of rollover fatalities than Florida, and New York (17%), Michigan (19%), and Mississippi (19%) had lower percentages of rollover fatalities than did Florida. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Status Report predicts that 135 lives will be saved each year by the amendment to FMVSS 216.
The changes that FMVSS 216 will require automobile manufacturers to make in the production of vehicles up to 10,000 pounds will mean that the roofs of cars, trucks, and SUVs will be even sturdier than they have been in the past. Not only will the driver side be able to withstand greater impact but the passenger side will be able to withstand greater impact as well. Proponents of the amendment to FMVSS 216 feel that this change has been long overdue and that by updating and improving the federal roof standards individuals will be more likely to survive a rollover crash.
