If you’re in charge of getting a group of people from one place to another then you’re likely to consider a small bus or 15-passenger van. After all, it’s a great size, can be used for a lot of uses – like shuttling people from the parking lot to your event, shuttling executives, using as a family bus, getting a sports team around, shuttling folks to a hotel, and many other purposes. However, there’s one big problem that you may not have considered: These vehicles roll over at an alarming rate.
The incredible rollover rate of the 15-passenger van
Would you be surprised to learn that more than 10,000 people die in the United States every year as the result of being in one of these small buses or large vans that rolls over? That’s according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which notes that these deaths are on the rise. In many cases, it’s the most vulnerable of our citizens who are injured, including kids on sports teams, members of church groups, and even those with disabilities.
Why are these small buses so dangerous?
Though some consider these 15-passenger vehicles to be small buses while others consider them large vans, either way there are two main ways that they can be more dangerous than a car. First, they roll over under a wide range of highway conditions. If it’s raining, they’re at a high risk of rolling over. If they’re traveling too fast, they’re at a danger of rolling over. Even if it’s especially windy, they’re at risk of rolling over.
The second main issue is that when rollovers and bus crashes do happen with these vehicles, it’s likely that there will be deaths involved. In fact, according to one study, the fatality rate with these vehicles is as much as 70%. When you consider that these vehicles hold up to 15 people, it’s easy to see that what would be a minor car accident could be a traumatic bus accident.
The worst accidents have one thing in common
There are certain types of passenger vans that are much more likely to result in death when there’s an accident, and they all have one thing in common: They were originally designed to transport cargo – not people. They’re more like trucks when it comes to their tires, engines, chassis, suspension, etc., and they require drivers who have experience with these larger vehicles.
When you then add the weight of the people and the gear they have with them, it’s easy to see why fatal accidents are so likely – not to mention that many times the drivers are not experienced with vehicles like these.
If you’re thinking of renting a large vehicle to carry a large party around, consider renting two smaller vehicles. If you’ve already been injured in an accident with one of these small buses, please contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 right away for your free case evaluation.
