A boy who died in a November 11, 2009 San Francisco car accident has been identified by authorities as 7-year-old Mark Thomas. The rollover crash happened after a Ford Explorer SUV blew its left rear tire. The driver, Mark's 22-year-old sister Jewel Mims, lost control of the SUV, which veered off the roadway and overturned landing on its side. Mark, who was in the cargo area of the SUV, was not wearing a seatbelt and was partially ejected, California Highway Patrol officials said. He died of major head trauma. Others in the SUV sustained injuries as well, but they were not life-threatening.

My heart goes out to the family of little Mark Thomas for their horrible loss. It's indeed fortunate that no one else was badly injured especially Mark's brother who was also in the cargo area where there were no seatbelts. This family will be in my prayers.

Rollover Crashes Can be Devastating

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are about 10,000 fatal rollover accidents each year in the United States, which account for 25 percent of all traffic accident fatalities in the country. SUVs are particularly more prone to these violent crashes because they have a high center of gravity and lower track width, which makes them more susceptible to tip over and flip even at normal speeds. The Ford Explorer, specifically, is well-known for vehicle defects both in terms of design and manufacturing, which have caused numerous fatal and major injury accidents nationwide.

Liability Issues Involving Auto Products

In this particular case, the SUV's tire blew, causing a young driver to lose control of the vehicle. Even experienced drivers have trouble controlling the Explorer in such situations because of its propensity for instability. I would be curious about whether a defective tire caused this tragic accident. If that was the case, the tire manufacturer could be held liable as well. Mark Thomas may have been alive today had he been safely restrained. This is another grim reminder for all of us to make sure that all passengers, especially our little ones, are buckled up. Seatbelts do save lives.

In such cases, victims and their families would be well-advised to consult a reputed San Francisco personal injury lawyer, who has a successful track record representing injured clients against large auto makers such as Ford and General Motors. It would also be in their best interest to preserve the vehicle in its current condition, unaltered, so it can be examined thoroughly for any evidence or malfunctions or auto product defects.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.