The use of 15-passenger vans by churches, colleges, school systems, daycares, and other community organizations is common. Although convenient, these vans pose a great risk to passengers when proper safety precautions are not followed. Recently, two tragic crashes of 15-passenger vans in Georgia and New York have left 10 dead and 23 injured. The contributing factors in both cases were tire failure on the vans and the lack of seat belt use by passengers.

While there is a federal law that prohibits selling a 15-passenger van to transport children to and from school, many child care providers own such vans and use them to transport children on field trips. Unlike school buses, these vans are not built to any government standards.

The National Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued several warnings against 15-passenger vans. They are inherently dangerous and have a higher rate of rollover under certain conditions. A 15-passenger van does not handle like a passenger vehicle; it requires an experienced driver who has received additional training and operates these vehicles on a regular basis. With its higher center of gravity, the 15-passenger van is more prone to rollover crashes – especially when the tires are improperly inflated or if the van is overloaded. Texas AgriLife Extension agent, Carolyn McDowell, reminds owners and operators that by taking precautions, needless deaths and injuries in these vans may be prevented.

The van should never carry more than 15 passengers, and special attention needs to be given to tire maintenance since improperly inflated tires make these vans more prone to rollovers. Studies show that nearly three-fourths of 15-passeger vans have improperly inflated tires. Make sure the correct size/capacity E-series commercial tires are used and that tire pressure is checked on a regular, weekly basis.

While seat belts are a proven way to reduce injuries and deaths, particularly in rollover crashes, many passengers in these vans do not buckle up. An unrestrained occupant in a 15-passenger van involved in a single-vehicle crash is approximately three times as likely to be killed as a restrained occupant. It is important that all occupants wear seat belts at all times when the vehicle is moving.

Fortunately, the seat belt law as well as the child safety seat law in Texas now covers occupants in 15-passenger vans. Before the September 2009 change in the law, these passengers were exempt from wearing seat belts. However, many 15-passenger vans do not have lap/shoulder belts in all positions, which poses a problem for adults as well as children. Children, who have outgrown conventional harness seats, need to be in booster seats that require lap/shoulder belts. Higher harness weight seats can be used in these situations.

Owners and operators of 15-passenger vans can increase their safety by following these safety tips from NHTSA: