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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a statement in the spring of 2018 on large, 15-passenger vans. The statement said that these vans pose a safety risk to inexperienced drivers and other road users driving around them. These vehicles are popular and useful. However, many of them are older and do not have the safety technologies required on newer vehicles.

NHTSA said that nearly 60 percent of fatalities in crashes involving 15-passenger vans were a result of the vehicles rolling over.

The NHTSA statement said, “Whether to drive children to daycare, older people to senior citizen events, athletic teams to sporting events, employees in work carpools, congregants to and from their house of worship, or teenagers to youth programs, the vans are in high demand. But, the cumbersome, 15-passenger vans in the hands of inexperienced drivers can prove challenging to maneuver safely, given their high center of gravity and propensity to rollover as a result of quick maneuvering.”

The NHTSA issued the following tips for driving 15-passenger vans:

• Experience:Fifteen-passenger vans should only be driven by experienced, licensed drivers who operate this type of vehicle on a regular basis. A commercial driver’s license is ideal. It’s important to know that 15-passenger vans handle differently than cars, especially when fully loaded.
• Attention:Stay focused on the task of safe driving by being well rested, never using a handheld phone at the wheel, and limiting conversation with other passengers. Drivers shouldn’t drive more than 8 hours per day.
• Speed:Always obey the posted speed limit, and reduce your speed as needed based on road or weather conditions. Remember, 15-passenger vans require additional braking time and cannot handle abrupt maneuvers the way cars can.
• Seat Belts:All occupants need to wear seat belts at all times. Inspect seat belts regularly and replace any missing, broken, or damaged belts and/or buckles. An unrestrained 15-passenger-van occupant, involved in a single-vehicle crash, is approximately four times more likely to be killed than a restrained occupant.
• Tire Pressure:Inspect the tires and check tire pressure before each use. A van’s tires, including the spare tire, need to be properly inflated, and the tread should not be worn down. Excessively worn, or improperly inflated tires, can lead to a loss of vehicle control and possibly a rollover. Check the driver’s side door pillar or the owner’s manual for the recommended tire size and pressure. Recommended tire pressure may be different for front and back tires.
• Spares: All tires weaken with age, even unused tires; avoid using an old spare on your 15-passenger van. Used 15-passenger vans may come with dangerous spare tires that are many years old. Check a tire’s age by finding its Tire Identification Number (TIN) on the tire’s sidewall. The last four digits of the TIN indicate the week and year the tire was made (e.g., 1010 = March 2010).
• Occupancy: Never allow more than 15 people to ride in a 15-passenger van. Fill the seats from front to back; when the van is not full, passengers should sit in seats that are in front of the rear axle.
• Cargo:Cargo should be placed forward of the rear axle; avoid overloading the van or placing any loads on the roof. See the vehicle owner’s manual for maximum weight of passengers and cargo and to determine towing capability.
• Size: A 15-passenger van is substantially longer and wider than a car, and thus requires more space to maneuver. It also requires additional reliance on the side-view mirrors for changing lanes.

“Should you or a loved one be injured in a 15-passenger van accident, please contact our experienced legal team. We are available to assist you in determining your rights,” said Fort Myers Car Accident Attorney, Randall Spivey of Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.

Fort Myers Car Accident Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839, or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.