SUV rollovers are dangerous due to manufacturer design choices, and the lack of adequate federal standards to force better designs. SUV seat structures are not designed to keep occupants in place during a rollover, regardless if seatbelts are worn, and vehicle roofs, windshields and side windows easily collapse, increasing the risk of occupant head, brain, spinal cord, and back injuries. Some automobile safety organizations argue that the most stable SUV is still more prone to occupant injury than the most unstable car.
Although SUV's were designed primarily for the purpose of offroading, manufacturers have since discovered their immense popularity as family vehicles, and have begun removing roll bars in current models. While the body of an SUV remains the same as it would if used for offroading, the removal of the roll bars, combined with the high center of gravity due to multiple passengers, make rollover accidents, and occupant ejection, that much more fatal.
