When asked which vehicles are among the most dangerous on the road, few consumers would mention 15-passenger vans. In fact, 15-passenger vans, when loaded are among the most difficult vehicles to maneuver in hazardous conditions. Their poor design leads to rollovers causing serious injuries or death from roof crush or ejection.
From daycares to hotel shuttles, you'll see these vans on the road every day. Most will never consider the danger of stepping into one of them and the rollover and roof crush danger they pose. As such, many schools and churches now opt to not use them because of their reputation for rollovers.
Some Things You May Not Know About 15-Passenger Vans
- Full 15-passenger van puts weight behind the rear axle, giving the van more potential to swing out, leading to loss of control and rollover potential.
- Ford, Dodge and GM all manufacture these vans. With no government rollover standard that applies to 15-passenger vans, the top heavy vehicles are prone to rollover at speeds as slow as 40 mph.
- Injuries and death from cars and 15-passenger van rollovers occur every week in the United States. Safety experts state that the vans should never hold more than 10 passengers, who should be wear seat belts at all times. In order for 15-passenger vans to perform safely, their tires must never fail.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a rollover or roof collapse related accident, contact Miller Weisbrod, LLP, for a free case assessment.
