Sun roofs have become increasingly common among new SUVs and cars and are in demand by consumers. Sunlight and fresh air are among the benefits of sun roof, but many people wonder whether this accessory is safe.
What happens in a rollover involving a motor vehicle with a sun roof? Are occupants safe? Fatal and serious injuries are possible as they are in crashes involving other vehicles. However, drivers and passengers inside vehicles with sun roofs must pay extra attention to hazards – ejection and severe lacerations — that are more likely to confront them than people in other vehicles.
Ejection and shards of glass
Rigorous testing by government inspectors attempts to ensure that every vehicle on U.S. roads meets strict government safety standards. This holds true for vehicles with sun roofs.
However, among the concerns that surface related to vehicle with sun roofs include:
- Ejection from the vehicle: The likelihood of this happening is slim as long as drivers and passengers have buckled on their seat belt. If you drive a vehicle with a sun roof, please wear your seat belt and encourage your passengers to do the same. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, roughly 47% of the more than 22,200 vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2019 were not wearing seat belts.
- Shattered glass causing lacerations: Although many sunroofs consist of laminated glass to minimize the chance for them to shatter, some sun roofs may break. As a result, shards of glass may rain down on vehicle occupants, potentially causing severe lacerations as well as severed limbs.
These are two issues that occupants inside a vehicle with a sun roof should take notice.
Precautions may save your life
In any situation, a rollover may lead to serious, debilitating and even fatal injuries. With thousands of rollover crashes annually in the country, please be aware what may occur when inside a vehicle with a sun roof. Common sense precautions may prevent an injury and even save your life.