Metal gives and then fails. Glass gives minimally, and depending on tempering, can fail very, very quickly.
Metal gives and then fails. Glass gives minimally, and depending on tempering, can fail very, very quickly.
If you are not wearing a seatbelt, you run the risk of being ejected from the vehicle, and the higher risk of being 'partially ejected' from the vehicle, which is often worse.
I personally observed only 1 vehicle where the roof caved in on rollover (I believe it was a mid 2000s mustang). If the driver had been a few inches taller, I imagine he would've been hurt pretty badly.
The only other time I saw a roof collapse in wasn't from a roll over, but striking a tree roof first at a high rate of speed.
The only rollover crash I ever observed that the driver couldn't walk away from was a rather fortunate partial ejection. The vehicle only rolled onto its side, pinning the drivers arm between the road and the door as it slid for a few dozen yards.
The durability of the laminated safety glass should not be understated. A fire department's extraction team's approach is likely to be "cut through the glass with a circular saw".
Granted, all of this is anecdotal, with a very small sample size. Either way, wear your seat belt.