Lincoln area records eight rollover crashes in June

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Since the start of June, Channel 8 has reported on 10 rollover crashes, eight of which were in the Lincoln area.

On Tuesday alone, there were two rollover crashes in the Capital City, one of which sent a woman to the hospital.

Local authorities have some tips for drivers on how to avoid a rollover crash, as well as what to do after a crash to keep yourself safe and out of the way while crews clean up.

SEE ALSO: One trapped inside van after rollover crash in north Lincoln

Chief Deputy Ben Houchin with the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office says the important thing is to stay calm.

“A lot of times, our rollover crashes at the sheriff’s office occur on gravel roads,” he said. “People panic, they hit their brakes, they oversteer, and then go into a ditch and roll over.”

Houchin said the first thing you should do is check to see if you or your passengers are injured, and then check on any other vehicles involved in the crash.

If possible, he also said to shut off the engine to avoid a fire.

And when it comes to rollovers, keeping your car clean can also help keep everyone inside safe from debris.

“Don’t have your car cluttered with things that can roll around and hit you,” Houchin said.

SEE ALSO: Driver cited in single-vehicle rollover crash in Lincoln

With minor crashes, Houchin recommends quickly documenting the crash with some pictures and then moving vehicles out of traffic.

He also said if the damage is less than $1,500 and there are no injuries, you don’t have to report it to law enforcement.

But if you do need the authorities, have your insurance card and driver’s license ready to speed up the process.

In more serious crashes, Lincoln Fire & Rescue recommends shutting off the car’s engine to avoid a fire.

If you’re trapped inside, you can try to break a window and get out.

But if that doesn’t work, you should try to stay calm and wait for rescuers to help.

SEE ALSO: One injured after vehicle crashes into Lincoln apartment building

Capt. Rick Schneider with LFR said the biggest thing you can do to stay safe in a rollover happens before you even start the car.

“All the studies out there show that wearing seat belts does make a difference in people’s outcomes, reducing injuries, death and all that in an accident,” he said. “If you’re ejected, your chance of survival is down to probably less than 1%.”

Brian Ortner with AAA Nebraska said planning ahead and knowing where you’re going before you leave will help you make safer decisions when you drive.

He said with how dangerous cars can be, it’s important you stay aware of what goes on around you.

“A vehicle is not a light piece of equipment,” he said, noting that cars can weigh 4,000 pounds or more. “That goes out of control very quickly.”

SEE ALSO: Semi flips onto side in east Lincoln; driver calls it trucker’s worst nightmare

Ortner also said just having common courtesy can help avoid crashes.

“Be a good motorist and know that other people out there are driving as well, and you want to be safe just as they do,” he said.

Ortner said with the holiday weekend coming up and more people traveling, it’s especially important that drivers go slow and avoid taking their eyes off the road.