Sports utilities vehicles have a high center of gravity and are the most unstable vehicles on the road. Although designed to be driven off the road and roll, very few have rollbars. And to make matters worse, few meet the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration roof safety standards for automobiles. Over 10,000 people are fatally injured each year in rollover crashes.

The chief hazard occurs when taking emergency action after steering in one direction and then being forced to rapidly correct in the opposite direction. The result is a rollover. Rollover occurs because of the absence of a lower center of gravity and a wider track width, which allows automobiles to skid, spin and recover. But when taking a common evasive maneuver that car drivers safety complete every day, rapidly corrective action causes SUVs to trip and roll.

During a rollover it is a common occurrence for a roof to cave inward. If a roof crushes inward substantially in an accident, occupants may suffer disabling head and neck injuries or even death. Most passenger vehicles and many SUVs do not have enough headroom to allow for more than three to four inches of crush without significantly increasing the risk of serious injury or death. NHTSA's FMVSS 216, sets the minimum strength requirements for a vehicle's roof crush resistance, but does not require manufacturers to conduct dynamic rollover tests on roofs.

Blame is now being placed on Ford Motors for the unusually high amount of accidents involving the Ford Explorer. Based on a report by the Washington Post, citing analysis of national and Florida crash statistics, the Ford Explorer, even when fitted with tires other than Firestone, has a higher rate of tire-related accidents than other sport utility vehicles. According to the report Ford Explorers with Goodyear tires have been linked to 101 deaths nationwide.