Why is the issue of vehicle rollover so important to Consumers Union?
CU believes the severity of rollover accidents, the rapid rise in popularity of SUVs, and the fact that SUVs generally have a significantly higher propensity to roll over than do sedans, underscore the need for an accurate rollover ratings system, accessible by consumers on how a vehicle performs in a rollover test procedure. (For the latest SUV and other light truck sales statistics, see the U.S. Department of Energy website, http://www.ott.doe.gov/facts/archives/fotw277supp.shtml, SUVs of all types – big and small, car- and truck-based – accounted for about 25 percent of the nearly 11.4 million new vehicles sold through August, slightly ahead of 2002’s pace. That puts SUVs on track to top last year’s 4 million unit record.
