Van Accidents

One of the most dangerous vehicles on the road today is the 15-passenger van. It is a vehicle marketed for use by sports teams, church groups, elderly homes and other multi-member organizations. The alarming fact is that the number of deadly accidents involving these vehicles has been steadily increasing over the last three years.

According to an analysis done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 15-passenger vans are three times more likely to roll over in single vehicle crashes when there are 10 or more occupants inside of the van. This puts many more people in danger.

The NHTSA recently released new research that reinforces its existing concerns about 15-passenger vans. As a result, on May 26, 2005, the NHTSA reissued its consumer advisory for users of 15-passenger vans for the third time in the past four years.

In a new research report related to improper tire maintenance on 15-passenger vans, the NHTSA study found that 74 percent of all 15-passenger vans had tires that were not correctly inflated. By contrast, 39 percent of passenger cars were found with significant inflation problems. NHTSA research has consistently shown that improperly inflated tires can drastically change the handling of such vehicles, significantly increasing the prospect of a rollover crash.

To reduce the risks associated with 15-passenger vans, NHTSA safety advisory recommends that drivers require all occupants to wear safety belts at all times. Additionally, it is suggested that drivers of 15-passenger are trained and experienced, tires are checked at least once a week (implementing the manufacturer recommended pressure levels) and no loads are placed on the roof of the vehicle.

Prior NHTSA research has shown that 15-passenger vans have a rollover risk that increases dramatically as the number of occupants increases from fewer than five to more than ten. In fact, 15-passenger vans (with 10 or more occupants) had a rollover rate in single vehicle crashes that is nearly three times the rate of those that were lightly loaded (with fewer than five occupants).

Nearly 80 percent of those who died in 15-passenger van rollovers nationwide between 1990 and 2003 were not buckled up. For more information regarding the statistics mentioned above, please visit the NHTSA website at www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

If you have been involved in a 15-passenger van accident or rollover, please call us at 800-966-4999 to speak to one of our qualified lawyers.

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