BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho — A 23-year-old man tragically died Jan. 17 in a single-vehicle rollover accident in Idaho Falls.
According to local authorities, the driver was northbound on Snake River Parkway off Sunnyside Road when he lost control of his vehicle for reasons that were not immediately clear. The vehicle veered off the roadway and rolled before coming to a rest.
Officers responded to the accident at about 4:50 a.m. The passenger in the vehicle was unresponsive when emergency personnel arrived, and he sadly succumbed to his injuries at the scene of the accident.
The driver suffered minor injuries and was transported by ambulance to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center for treatment.
Authorities have not released the names of the driver or passenger but said their initial investigation determined that both individuals were wearing safety belts when the accident occurred. The crash investigation is ongoing.
Thoughts on Fatal Rollover Accidents from a Personal Injury Lawyer
Rollover accidents present a unique situation. The natural reaction is to look to the driver and question what caused the accident. Having handled many rollover accidents across the nation, I have learned that the driver’s actions are only one consideration.
It is important to realize that the law considers the cause of the injury when determining fault. Often, the cause of the injury and the cause of the accident is the same. However, this is not always true. Under product defect law, the plaintiff alleges their injury was caused or exasperated by the manufacturer’s failure to design a good product. Many remember Grimshaw v. For Motor Co. In that case, the plaintiff was killed when her 1972 Ford Pinto was struck from behind, causing the vehicle to catch fire. The plaintiff proved Ford knew the fuel line was inadequately designed, and as a result, the car caught fire.
We routinely see inadequate roof strength, poorly designed restraint systems, and malfunctioning safety canopies, causing severe injury in rollover accidents. Auto manufacturers design vehicles to withstand the rollover sequence and protect the survival space of the occupant. Deficiency in any one of these areas can cause otherwise preventable injuries and death.
This is a serious accident, and many questions remain unanswered. I offer my sincerest condolences to the grieving families and hope for their solace during this challenging time.
Disclaimer: All the information in this post is from third-party sources or constitutes my opinion. If you are not comfortable with this post or would like further information, please reach out to my firm to speak with me.