Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
15-Passenger Van Rollover Accidents: Facts and Statistics
Why do 15-passenger vans roll over?
15-passenger vans are some of the most unsafe vehicles on the road. When mostly or fully loaded with passengers, these vans create a high center of gravity that makes them prone to rollover accidents and difficult to handle in emergency situations.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released warnings year after year about the risks involved in operating these vehicles and what you can do to stay safe.
The risk of a passenger van rollover is greatly increased when 10 or more passengers are present in a 15-passenger van.
Fact: When a 15-passenger is fully loaded, the odds of a rollover are 400% higher than when a driver is operating the vehicle alone.
Fact: In a study of single-car accidents, 90% of 15-passenger van rollovers were a direct result of the driver losing control of the van and running it off the road.
How dangerous are rollover accidents compared to head-on collisions?
Rollovers can be extremely dangerous to those involved. As the vehicle rotates, the passengers’ bodies are exposed to multiple points of contact at different angles that can result in various brain trauma, spinal injuries, and blunt force trauma to the face and torso among other complications.
- There have been over 1,576 fatal 15-passenger van rollover accidents since 1990 resulting in over 1,200 deaths.
- Over 80% of the single-car 15-passenger van accidents that resulted in a fatality involved a rollover.
- 60% of the 15-passenger van occupants who were killed in single-vehicle accidents involving rollovers from 1990-2002 were ejected from the van.
- More than 3/4 of all fatalities that occurred in 15-passenger vans were the result of a single-car accident, meaning no other vehicle was involved or responsible for the crash.
Are all roads created equal?
15-passenger vans handle differently from other vehicles and are more sensitive to changes in the road including soft soil, grass, and dirt, making them more vulnerable on rural roads. Traveling at highways speeds (55 mph+) also increases the risk of rollover accidents as the van is prone to sliding sideways.
Fact: 15-passenger vans can rollover when:
- Their tires dig into soft soil
- Striking a ditch or embankment
- Being “tripped” by an object in the road
- Taking a curve too quickly
- Over-correcting the steering wheel or attempting a sharp turn
- And other driver and environmental factors
Free Case Evaluation
If you want to learn more about 15-passenger van safety, or what your options are if you have been injured in a van accident, contact the Boston passenger van rollover accident attorneys at the Kiley Law Group. Our firm specializes in personal injury and traffic accident cases.
Call 1-888-208-1695 today.
