Jeep Accident in Colorado - Roll cage discussion

Colorado4x4

Colorado4x4

Active Member
My wife told me that this family who lives in my town (Castle Rock) got into a wreck and the driver and front passenger (the mom and dad) died on the scene. Their two children riding in the back survived.

I do not know these folks but I have seen their Jeep around town. Some of you might have seen them on the trails or even knew them. I can’t imagine what a tragedy their kids are experiencing right now.

I was trying to figure out what happened and why the front occupants perished. The Jeep rolled onto its lid and I assume the driver and front passenger perished when the Jeep squished down on them.

I almost couldn’t believe that the factory roll cage would crunch down like that and it made me do a little digging into their social media accounts and at some point they had the factory roll cage removed and had a Motobilt cage installed.

www.cbsnews.com

Fatal Crash on Highway 36 in Colorado kills two adults, children hospitalized

Two adults were killed and their children were hospitalized after a rollover crash on Highway 36 at Lefthand Canyon Drive.
www.cbsnews.com www.cbsnews.com

How many of you have full aftermarket cages? I had the Rockhard4x4 sport cage on my last JK and I will probably get one for my JL. For those who have the Rockhard JL cage, do you like them and believe they will add some strength to the factory cage?

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That's so sad, can't begin to imagine the impact this will have on the children.

If that motobuilt cage collapsed, wondering if it was bad installation or the cage even with all the tubes it's just the poor design for how it rolled.
Wondering if the seat belts were loose and they hit their heads on the roll bar, that would be a pretty hard impact

I've got the rock hard sport cage in my jku, I added the C pillar supports for rear factory roll bar support.
Hoping I never have to test it to find out how it holds.
 
More than likely, they hit their heads on the aftermarket cage. Back in the day, Smittybilt used to make cages and a driver died in that way. They went under as a company because of it and was eventually acquired by 4WP.

Me personally, I trust the factory cage and especially so on the JL and JT. It is why I have not installed an aftermarket one in any of mine. But then, I am just a mall crawler.
 
wayoflife said:
More than likely, they hit their heads on the aftermarket cage. Back in the day, Smittybilt used to make cages and a driver died in that way. They went under as a company because of it and was eventually acquired by 4WP.

Me personally, I trust the factory cage and especially so on the JL and JT. It is why I have not installed an aftermarket one in any of mine. But then, I am just a mall crawler.
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I've considered removing my rock hard sport cage because getting in and out at times I hit my head on both the front post and the center piece, I could see myself easily hitting either one of those or both in an accident
 
wayoflife said:
More than likely, they hit their heads on the aftermarket cage. Back in the day, Smittybilt used to make cages and a driver died in that way. They went under as a company because of it and was eventually acquired by 4WP.

Me personally, I trust the factory cage and especially so on the JL and JT. It is why I have not installed an aftermarket one in any of mine. But then, I am just a mall crawler.
Click to expand...
What are your thoughts about the Rockhard sport cage add on for the JL? Same issue there where you can bop your coconut on the cage?
 
Cousin Clyde said:
Yea I’m not really feeling the age-old ‘which is a better cage’ discussion on this one. If they both died in a rollover, I imagine they must have been going faster than any stock or aftermarket cage allows, and / or not been wearing seatbelts.
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I have personally seen the results of epic rolls. Not just a flop on the trail but multiple times over and at highway speeds. A cage can help but it can also hurt unless you have a full 5 point harness. I have also seen factory cages fold in the same situation and have the occupants survive. In some ways, I have to wonder if the folding helps to absorb energy while still providing “enough” protection.
 
Colorado4x4 said:
What are your thoughts about the Rockhard sport cage add on for the JL? Same issue there where you can bop your coconut on the cage?
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As mentioned, I've got the sport cage in my jku and I hit my head very easily just adjusting myself in the seat or getting in and not paying attention.
When I take the Jeep for service I have to warn the person that's getting in the Jeep to watch their head.
I don't have a four or five point harness so if there was a rollover my head would be in the cage in a heartbeat.
It'll be coming out before long
 
I actually saw something about this on Instagram, don’t follow them but they have a big following, sad for sure regardless of all that, but pretty wild and not saying they had a lack in knowledge or anything like that, but I guess it can mean there is a lot more to learn about equipment than most know
 
wayoflife said:
I have personally seen the results of epic rolls. Not just a flop on the trail but multiple times over and at highway speeds. A cage can help but it can also hurt unless you have a full 5 point harness. I have also seen factory cages fold in the same situation and have the occupants survive. In some ways, I have to wonder if the folding helps to absorb energy while still providing “enough” protection.
Click to expand...

Seems like the factor is the proper harness. Would be curious to see if these people up north of Boulder were strapped in. Super sad regardless…
 
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