15 - Passenger Vans

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently issued a rare consumer advisory regarding 15-passenger vans such as those used to shuttle college teams, church groups, and airport passengers after finding that the vans are three times more likely to roll over when carrying 10 or more passengers.

The NHTSA study said 15-passenger vans roll much more often if they are weighted down with passengers because the center of gravity moves higher and farther back. Panic maneuvers by drivers make rollover risks especially high. Six rollover accidents involving college sports teams and young drivers in late 1999 and early 2000 brought the vans to the agency’s attention.

NHTSA identified a number of 15-passenger models, including: Ford Econoline E350, Ford Club Wagon E350, Chevrolet Express 3500, GMC Savana G3500, GMC Rally/Vandura G3500, Dodge Ram Van/Wagon B3500, and Dodge Ram Wagon B350.

Conservative estimates show that in the past six years at least 71 15-passenger vans have been involved in rollovers resulting in 126 fatalities.

The vans in question are used heavily by the University of Washington and airport shuttle services, and they’re a major component in the van-pool fleets in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties.

Ford, which makes the top-selling Econoline, warns drivers in its owner’s manual to avoid sharp turns, excessive speed, and abrupt maneuvers, but the two other manufacturers do not.

Milton Chace, an Ann Arbor, Michigan engineer who researched the rollover risk in several lawsuits, said risk can be reduced if owners buy high-quality rear tires, keep the gas tank as full as possible, and drive conservatively. He said passengers should fill front seats first and nothing should be loaded on the roof.