Many drivers do not understand why car insurance companies tend to charge higher for SUV's (Sports Utility Vehicles). Frequently the higher premiums do not seem justifiable at all.

 

Some statistics may help shed a little more light on this controversial subject. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the United States, the rollover rate for SUV's is 98 per 1,000,000 while that of all other vehicles is 47 per 1,000,000. In other words the rate at which SUV's tend to roll over is more than double that of all other types of cars.

The fatalities paint an even grimmer picture. It is estimated that between 1991 and 1994, about 9,000 people lost their lives from rollovers. In 1996 alone, 10,000 people died from rollovers.

There is a simple explanation to all this. The Sports Utility Vehicle tends to tip over and roll due to the swerve/counter swerve with it's rather high center of gravity. It is useful to remember here that SUVs were originally built to be drive at much slower speeds over very rough terrain. They were deliberately built high so as to clear large obstacles often found in rough terrain, hence the higher center of gravity.

In recent years SUVs have flooded smoother roads and are being driven at high speeds in streets where drivers find themselves frequently avoiding obstacles by sharply swerving at high speeds. The result is this sorry state of statistics and much higher car insurance costs for those who insist on owning SUVs. It would seem that there is a lot of telling statistics and figures to back up insurance companies for charging so dearly for SUV car insurance.