When passenger vans were designed in the 1970's, very little testing was
done by manufacturers to assess the vans' handling characteristics or
propensity to rollover. These vans have been exempt from many federal
motor-vehicle safety standards because they are not considered school
busses or passenger cars. Despite the fact they were originally
designed to carry cargo, they are more commonly used to carry people.
In addition to the risk of rollover, 15-passenger vans have weak roofs
that crush during a rollover.
The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an agency responsible for
establishing and enforcing safety performance standards and investigating
motor vehicle defects, publishes a list of warnings for consumers. The following summarizes the
warnings:
Children (pre-school and school-aged) should not be transported in
15-passenger vans.
The number of occupants in a passenger van greatly increases the
risk of rollover. ( 5 + in 15-passenger vans)
A passenger van containing only a driver has a rollover rate five
times less than that of a van with a full passenger load.
All occupants of passenger vans should wear seatbelts.
Despite these public advisories and warnings, until recently the NHTSA
had exempted 15-passenger vans from all federal motor vehicle safety
standards.
In 2003 the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
recommended the NHTSA strive to improve safety standards in the areas of
occupant protection and restraints for passenger vans. NHTSA has
acknowledged in warnings to users the dangers of 15-passenger vans, but
no new safety standards have been established.
If you have sustained injuries as the occupant of a passenger van, we
might be able to help. Call us toll free at 888-442-7947.
