Drivers who make the common mistake of overcorrecting their steering cause an estimated 4 percent of all fatal car crashes. This means more than 1,000 people are killed each year by overcorrections.
Overcorrection occurs when a driver moves the steering wheel abruptly in the opposite direction from where the car is going. This usually happens in reaction to a sudden event, such as when an animal runs into the road, your car drifts onto the shoulder, or another car veers into your lane. It can also happen on sharp curves and dangerous stretches of roadway.
An overcorrection is a rollover waiting to happen.
According to news reports, a lethal overcorrection happened last June 13, when two people in a Mazda automobile died in an overcorrection-rollover crash in Clermont. The accident happened just past midnight on County Road 561.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that the driver veered onto the highway’s southbound lane for unknown reasons, thus resulting in his overcorrecting it back to the right. By doing so, the vehicle spun clockwise 180 degrees, slid off the road, hit a tree, and flipped the car. At this point, the car’s rear caught on fire.
Both the driver and the passenger were killed in the crash.
Six Ways to Avoid an Overcorrection Crash
If you happen to run off the road, the most important thing is to not panic.
Follow these steps, courtesy of the Times Herald-Record, to avoid an overcorrection crash or rollover accident:
- If you are on the shoulder of the road, do not steer back onto the pavement right away.
- Firmly control the steering wheel and drive straight as you slow down.
- While slowing down, straddle the pavement edge.
- Turn the steering wheel toward the pavement when traffic is clear in both directions, and then return onto the road.
- Counter-steer carefully to prevent veering into the opposite lane.
- Accelerate to normal traffic speed as soon as you’ve fully recovered.
Have you or a loved one been in an overcorrection or rollover crash? Get a free consultation with a Florida auto accident lawyer. Philip DeBerard, Injury Attorney, will review your case carefully and advise you about your legal options.
Source:
MSN.autos
http://editorial.autos.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1010601
