A man who died in a single-vehicle rollover accident on the 215 Beltway was identified by the Clark County coroner as Stephen Diumenti, 24, according to a recent report. Diumenti was rushed to University Medical Center after he drove off the roadway and rolled near Sahara Avenue. He later died of his injuries. Nevada Highway Patrol investigators believe that alcohol and speed may have been factors in the crash. There was no one else in the vehicle at the time of the accident.
ROLLOVER CRASH FATALITIES OVERREPRESENTED IN SUVS
Experts have noted for some time that death rates from rollover crashes seems to be over represented among certain groups of vehicles such as light trucks and SUVs. According to a recent report by PBS's Frontline:- Rollovers account for an estimated 70,000 accidents per year in which 2,000 people will die.
- While tire failure has been blamed for about 300 deaths, more than 12,000 people during that same time period died in SUV rollover crashes that were unrelated to tire damage.
- In any given crash, a large SUV is 16 times more likely to kill the occupants of another vehicle than a sedan.
- SUVs are the most popular type of vehicle, with one out of four new vehicles sold in the United States falling into this category.
- Single-vehicle rollovers account for more fatalities than any other type of accident. About 63 percent of all people who are killed in SUVs die in rollovers, and one-quarter of all motor vehicle deaths are attributable to rollover accidents in any type of vehicle.
- SUVs have a higher rollover rate than any other type of vehicle, accounting for 36 percent of all rollover deaths. Pickup trucks account for another 24 percent, while vans make up 19 percent and sedans 15 percent.