Jeep owners love their Jeeps and they usually have a story or two about how they tipped over in that jeep. The question is why do jeeps tip over? Well, it’s all about the center of gravity. If you take any object and make it taller, like a pencil balanced on your finger for example, then the center of gravitational will move to the top end. This causes an unbalanced weight distribution which results in tipping over.
How often do Jeeps tip over?
Jeeps are built for off-road driving and have a higher center of gravity than passenger cars. When these vehicles tip over, the tendency is to roll onto their side or roof because they lack the stability of lower height passenger cars.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that the number of fatal jeep rollover accidents has dropped from a high in 1996 to just over 700 by 2012 largely due to improved design and engineering improvements.
How can you stop your Jeep from rolling over?
Jeep owners should take care to drive on even terrain and avoid steep inclines or sharp turns. However, a lot of Jeep owners lover to venture off road so there are also other things that can be done to make a Jeep more stable such as installing skid plates or rock rails under the chassis, adding an off-road tire kit for vehicles with higher ground clearance and removing excess weight from the vehicle. Also be careful about how much you load onto the roof rack.
How can I protect myself if I roll over in my Jeep?
The best way to protect yourself if your Jeep rolls over is to wear a seat belt while driving.
