Davis Law Group, P.S.

15-Passenger Vans Are Very Dangerous | Washington Accident Law

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has found that the risk of rollover increase as the number of occupants increases as much as 85% when ten or more passengers are riding in a 15-passenger van.

Fifteen-passenger vans are widely used by churches, schools, scout troops, day care centers and hotels.  These vehicles look like other vans expect they have been elongated to hold more passengers.  When extra passengers are on-board these vans they are three times more likely to roll over in an emergency situation.  When loaded with luggage and other heavy cargo the problem is made worse.  The vans can roll over even when they are not involved in a collision iwth another vehicle.

Recently the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration took the unprecedented step of noting: "These crashes have raised the question as to whether 15-passenger van, especially loaded 15-passenger vans, are unusually susceptible to rollover.  Fifteen-passenger vans differ from most light truck vehicles in that they have a large payload capacity and the occupants sit fairly high up in the vehicle.  Therefore, when loaded the vehicle may have a much worse rollover propensity than when unloaded."