The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants to remind the drivers of 15-passengers vans to take the necessary precautions when driving their large vehicles. Just recently, 10 people were killed in two collisions involving rollover crashes.
Although made for transporting large groups of people and their luggage, 15-passenger vans are designed in such a way that they are at higher risk of rolling over than other vehicles. The van's propensity to rollover goes up the more people there are in the vehicle. Also, heavier the weight of the load in a 15-passenger van, the greater the risk of tire failure--another common cause of van rollover accidents. Our Anaheim 15-passenger van accident lawyers know how upsetting it can be to not only be involved in a traffic crash but also to have had the accident occur because the vehicle that you were using was designed defectively or malfunctioned in some way.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in 2008, 58% of 15-passenger van occupant deaths occurred during single rollover crashes--similar to the proportion of SUV occupant deaths but higher than that of the occupant fatalities that occurred in cars and pickup trucks.
For safe driving of a 15-passenger van, NHTSA offers the following suggestions:
• Proper, up-to-date maintenance of the van.
• Make sure that the van is only operated by a trained and experienced driver.
• Never overloading a 15-passenger van.
• Use tires that are the correct size and properly inflated.
• Drive at a safe speed.
• Don't drive while distracted.
• Don't talk on the cell phone or text while driving.
• Remember that a 15-passenger van needs more room to maneuver than a car.
• Never let more than 15 people ride the van at a time.
• If the van isn't full, seat passengers in the front of the rear axle.
• Cargo should be stored forward of the rear axle.
• Make sure seat occupants are wearing safety belts.
15-passenger van crashes can result in traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, paralysis, coma, internal injuries, broken bones, disfigurement, and death.
Consumer Advisory: NHTSA Reissues 15-Passenger Van Safety Caution, NHTSA, October 14, 2010
15-passenger vans, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, May 2010
NHTSA's Top Safety Recommendations for 15-Passenger Van Use, NHTSA (PDF)
Related Web Resource:
15-Passenger Van Safety, Safer Car
You may even have grounds for an Orange County, California products liability case.
