There is a common misconception among the general public that bigger vehicles equate to safer vehicles. While there may be some truth to this statement, there are far too many factors at play in a wreck sequence for this blanket statement to hold any real validity. A prime example of the flaw in this belief lies with the 15-passenger van. The 15-passenger van is among the largest vehicles on the road that does not require the driver to hold a commercial driver’s license. Although large, the 15-passenger van is one of the most dangerous vehicles on the road.
In the late 1970s, Ford and Dodge designed and released versions of the 15-passenger van. Both automakers modified already existing cargo vans, making them passenger vans. This was done by extending the vans’ length, keeping the original wheel base, and simply adding seats. General Motors would later design a similar 15-passenger van by extending the existing 12-passenger van and lengthening the vehicle’s wheel base. These vans became widely popular with churches, schools, day cares and sports teams. They are a far cheaper option than buses and do not require a commercial driver’s license. The utility these vehicles offer is obvious. But the dangers are equally as real, yet not so apparent. In fact, their size leads folks to consider them safer and that is far from true.
The hidden dangers a 15-passenger van poses to driver and occupants are directly related to the vehicle’s function as a means of transporting numerous people. As a 15-passenger van is loaded with more occupants, the vehicle’s center of gravity tends to get higher. Because the bulk of the seating is toward the rear of the vehicle, as more occupants are loaded into the vehicle, the weight becomes distributed more toward the rear. Raising the vehicle’s center of gravity and distributing the weight toward the rear of the vehicle causes the vehicle to handle much worse and makes it more prone to rollover.
In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that 15-passenger vans with 10 or more occupants had a rollover rate nearly three times higher than one carrying fewer than five people. Consider that statistic for a moment. A motor vehicle, which is advertised and sold as a transporter of numerous occupants, becomes three times more likely to roll over when it’s utilized as intended. As alarming as that proposition is, what is more shocking is that these dangerous characteristics were recognized very early in the design of these vehicles and that numerous alternative designs that are safer have existed for years.
As early as the 1970s, Ford engineers appreciated the lack of stability associated with the 15-passenger van. In fact, one such engineer who has since left Ford recalled watching a 15-passenger van prototype show signs of instability on a test track prior to production. The engineer described watching a trained test driver struggle to maintain control of the prototype vehicle during a series of turning maneuvers. Internal Ford documents even show some of the engineers working on the 15-passenger van suggested extending the vehicle’s wheelbase, or adding dual rear tires as a means to address the unstable condition. These ideas were rejected due to delays in production and lost profits.
For more than 30 years, these vans have been on the roads and many are still being produced today. Dodge discontinued production of 15-passenger vans in 2002. Many believe this decision was in response to the growing data which illuminated the dangerous qualities of these vehicles. On April 9, 2001, NHTSA issued a “consumer advisory” alerting the public about the increased rollover risk under certain conditions. That advisory came after NHTSA reviewed nearly 10 years of statistics related to the vehicles. Ford, however, is still producing virtually the same 15-passenger van that its engineers were concerned about in the late 1970s.
These vans not only suffer from poor stability and a heightened propensity to roll over but, to make matters worse, they have weak roof structures and inadequate seat belts. In addition to being inherently dangerous due to their faulty design, many of these vehicles are poorly maintained, and driven by ordinary folks not accustomed to operating such large vehicles. This deadly combination has resulted in catastrophic consequences. All too often those injured or killed are young adults and children due to the popularity of the vans with schools, day cares, camps and churches.
As spring and summer approach, many of these dangerous vehicles will again hit the highway in large numbers. These vans are common, and yet the dangers are still not widely known. NHTSA warns those who travel in 15-passenger vans not to overload the vehicle, regularly maintain the vehicle, insure all tires are properly inflated and to wear their seatbelt. Remember the more weight on the vans, the more dangerous they become.
I would caution folks to avoid these vehicles at all cost. The dangers are real and no amount of caution can prevent the unforeseen accidents that may occur. In fact, the odds of a rollover of a loaded 15-passenger van are pretty good. So, stay out of these vans, and if you value the lives of your families, keep them out of these vans. Lawyers in our firm’s Personal Injury/Product Liability Section have handled a number of tragic cases involving these vans. If you need more information on this subject, contact Evan Allen, a lawyer in our firm’s Personal Injury/Products Liability Section, at 800-898-2034 or by email at Evan.Allen@beasleyallen.com.
Contact us today for a free legal consultation with an experienced attorney.
Fields marked *may be required for submission.
If you would like to subscribe to the Jere Beasley Report digital edition, simply visit our Subscriptions page and provide the necessary information or call us at 800-898-2034.
Attorney Advertising - Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.