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After Vehicle Roll Overs Properly
Replaced Windshields Are Essential
America’s drivers have not been adequately
alerted to the increasing frequency of rollover crashes and the danger these rollovers constitute to
all vehicle occupants. According to the National Highway Traffic &
Safety Administration (NHTSA), a total of 10,666 people died in rollover crashes in
2002, a 5 percent increase from the prior year.
While rollover crashes account for only 3
percent of all collisions, they result in 31percent of the
fatalities. The reason behind this grim record is the high incidence
of occupant ejection and head injuries. Many consumers have seen the media reports and believe the rollover danger is
confined to certain sports utility vehicles (SUVs). If they don’t
own such a vehicle, they assume they have no need to worry. That
could be a very misleading and dangerous assumption.
The cost to society of rollovers is staggering.
According to the NHTSA and the Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety (IIHS), 9,566 passenger vehicles were involved in fatal
rollover crashes in 2000 with 84 percent of these crashes
involving only one vehicle (NHTSA). In 2001, 54 percent of
all single-vehicle crash deaths occurred as a result of rollover crashes. In 2002, 8,768 of the 10,666
occupant deaths from rollovers occurred in single-vehicle rollover crashes. The
rate of serious injury in passenger vehicle rollovers is 36 percent higher than
in crashes where there is no rollover. (NHTSA)
Rollovers are the leading cause
of fatalities in SUVs. In single vehicle crashes, 79 percent of the fatalities among
SUV occupants involve rollover. Single-vehicle rollover crashes produced more than
50 percent of all occupant deaths in SUVs compared to 34 percent in
pickup trucks and 19 percent in cars. (IIHS)
Is there an answer to reducing the carnage caused by
rollovers?
All drivers, regardless of age, must recommit themselves to avoid
driving aggressively. More consumer information would be helpful,
especially a labeling and rollover rating system. New safety
features designed to reduce rollovers would be valuable. However,
the effectiveness of existing and future safety equipment will only
be as valuable as the degree to which it is used or maintained in
proper working order.
To this end, the states – as many have already done with
mandatory seat belt legislation – must review their commitment to
periodic motor vehicle inspection (PMVI). Without mandatory PMVI,
the average consumer does not have the diagnostic equipment or
expertise to assess their vehicle’s safety preparedness.
Proper replacement of damaged windshields is precisely such a
problem area. The windshield is a crucial component in preserving
the structural integrity of the vehicle‘s passenger compartment
during rollovers. If a damaged windshield is not properly replaced
and becomes dislodged from the vehicle during rollover, roof crush
resistance may be compromised. The result could be serious head and
neck injuries; failure of the passenger side airbag to deploy
properly; or, even worse, the ejection of occupants from the vehicle
onto the roadway where they have no protection whatsoever.
Proper windshield replacement has evolved into a demanding
science as the vehicle manufacturers’ safety and structural support
expectations of the windshield have increased through the years.
Comprehensive technician training is essential. National Glass
Association (NGA) certification of technician competency is
highly recommended, and is required by most responsible auto glass
service providers.
Currently, the NGA and the Coalition for Auto Glass Safety are
working with a number of state legislatures to require the licensing
and certification of all auto glass technicians. In the final
analysis, being a well-informed consumer is probably the best
protection against being a rollover statistic.
For more information on auto glass safety, you may call
1-800-CAR-HELP toll-free and select the “Auto Glass” option, or,
visit http://www.glass.org/consumer/overview.htm and
www.agrss.com.
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