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Concern Continues Over Safety of 15-Passenger Vans
CHICAGO, IL (September 30, 2002) - Recent reports by the National Highway
Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicate that 15-passenger vans have been
shown to have a high propensity for rollover crashes, especially if they
are fully loaded.
This summer, a van carrying firefighters in Colorado rolled over and
killed
five passengers, and a tire blowout on a van carrying cheerleaders
caused a
rollover accident that eventually claimed two lives. A report by the
American Camping Association stated that "many schools still utilize
15-passenger vans by purchasing them used (and) there has been no
federal
action to ban the use of these vehicles by camps, youth programs, or
religious organizations."
Although many churches, schools and other organizations are still using
these kinds of vans as a primary vehicle to transport passengers, the
warning is being heeded in many areas. The National Traffic and Motor
Safety Act prohibits the sale or lease of any new van with a capacity of
more than 10 passengers to a school or school district.
Some insurance companies are also changing their policies. The New
York
Times reported in August that GuideOne, a leading insurer of
churches
and their vehicles, has stopped selling new policies for 15-passenger
vans.
The Des Moines, Iowa-based organization said it is continuing coverage
on
the vans it already insures, but will raise rates 20 to 25 percent and
encourage van owners to replace the vans with small school buses.
GuideOne is not the only company with concerns. Two other large church
insurers, Church Mutual and Brotherhood Mutual, have issued safety
advisories in the face of continued questions about the safety of these
vehicles.
The Fatality Analysis Reporting System reported that between 1982 and
1999,
there were 581 people killed in 376 crashes involving 15-passenger vans.
Even more disturbing was the fact that 280 of those rollover accidents
did
not involve collision with another vehicle. One possible reason,
according
to a safetyforum.com report, was that the vans are not equipped to
handle
quick steering maneuvers in emergency situations when the vehicle is
fully loaded.
" . . . Loading a van with people shifts its center of gravity rearward
and
upward," the report states. "This increased weight on the rear tires
makes
the van tend to saturate the tires in emergencies and 'fishtail' (a rear
end slide that occurs when the maximum lateral friction capacity of the
rear tires is reached). A van fishtailing is not under control and has
increased likelihood it will overturn. The more heavily loaded, the
greater
the
gravity shift, and thus the higher the likelihood of tragic consequences
.
. ."
Another possible explanation for the high number of 15-passenger van
accidents, according to the report, is that the vehicles are not
equipped
as adequately as other large passenger vehicles for emergency steering
maneuvers. While many large vehicles have dual rear wheels, 15-passenger
vans come equipped without dual wheels, providing less traction to
safely
perform emergency steering maneuvers. And, standards for protecting
passengers are not nearly as high for 15-passenger vans. Since 1974,
buses
have had to meet additional structural standards that expressly address
occupant protection . . . by law
school buses must have strong steel side beams and thick sheets of steel
on
both sides of the frame. None of these protections are afforded the
occupants of 15-passenger vans. Buses also must have more emergency
exits
and employ flashing lights or stop signs on the vehicle.
Requirements for driving licenses to operate 15-passenger vans is
another
matter being re-evaluated. Drivers in the United States can rent large
vans
for everything from transporting passengers from airports to driving
groups
to mission trips and toting young adults to sporting events or on music
tours without the requirement for special
training, although in some states one must have a special license to do
so.
More information about 15-passenger van safety is available on the
American
Camping Association web site at www.ACAcamps.org/publicpolicy.
Statistical
updates of information used in this report can be found on
www.safetyforum.com/passengervans.
(Editor's note: a more detailed van safety article will appear in the
November issue of The Covenant Companion.)
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
