15-Passenger Van Dangers
15-passenger vans are used everyday by schools, day cares, churches and others, but many don’t realize they riding in what is arguably one of the most unsafe passenger vehicles on the road. Between 1990 and 2002, there were 1,576 15-passenger vans involved in fatal crashes that resulted in 1,111 fatalities to occupants of such vans. Of these, 657 vans were in fatal, single vehicle crashes, of which 349 rolled over.
The added length of these vehicles and high center of gravity exasperates the instability problem already associated with typical vans. Heavily loaded 15-passenger vans are particularly susceptible to rollover. The odds of a rollover for a fully-loaded 15-passenger van are more than five times that of a van with only a driver. Confounding this problem, the rate of safety belt use among occupants of large vans involved in fatal crashes is very low compared to other types of vehicles.
Since November 2002, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued nine recommendations that relate to these vehicles. These recommendations encompass vehicle countermeasures, consumer information, driver programs, working with FMCSA, and cooperating with outside groups to promote the safety of these vehicles.
NHTSA has investigated the van’s record and issued a warning concerning the Ford, Dodge, Chevrolet, and GMC vans. Safety experts say that to drive a 15-passenger van with greater safety, it must be loaded with no more than ten passengers. Also, those passengers should be seated toward the front of the van and the use of seatbelts is essential. Tire maintenance is also of utmost importance.
