Articles Posted in 15 Passenger Van Accidents

a Los Angles SUV rollover accident attorneys have noted a recent rollover accident involving a dump truck and SUV. Two women were injured in the SUV rollover case the morning of May 19, 2009 after the sport utility vehicle was struck by an out-of-control dump truck, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reports. The San Dimas rollover accident occurred when the dump truck traveling on the transition road between the south 57 Freeway and the east 10 Freeway connector lost control for some reason. The dump truck, which had an additional piece attached swerved to the right, hit a sign and seemed about to jackknife, California Highway Patrol officials said.

But instead, the dump truck overturned and struck a 2004 gray Ford Explorer. The car accident caused the Explorer to roll over several times. Two women were trapped inside the SUV. Both were airlifted to an area hospital with personal injuries. The driver of the dump truck, Daniel Couch, suffered minor injuries.

I’m relieved that no one suffered any catastrophic injuries in this SUV rollover accident. I wish all the injured victims the very best for a quick and complete recovery.
Continue reading →

Thirteen people in Chelsea, Mass, suffered injuries after the 15 passenger van they were in struck a toll plaza on the Tobin Bridge. According to an Aug. 29 news report in WHDH-TV, the van driver said his brakes failed and he lost control of the vehicle when the 15 passenger van crash occurred.

All 13 passengers in the van were injured and were taken to area hospitals. The extent of their injuries is not known. There are signs on the Tobin Bridge cautioning vehicles approaching the toll plaza to slow down, but the van’s driver said he was not able to do that because his brakes failed.

This news report does not have much information about the nature of the injuries suffered by the victims of this auto crash, but the fact they were all taken to area hospitals suggests that they must have suffered some type of injury. We do know 15-passenger vans are probably the deadliest and most dangerous vehicles on our roadways today.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has consistently issued several alerts over the years warning consumers about the dangers of these vans. Here is a comprehensive Web site, which talks about those hazards. The federal agency’s statistics also show that between the years 1990 and 2000 – more than 1,200 fatal 15-passenger van accidents have occurred. During that period, 860 people died in these van accidents and a little over 420 of those fatalities occurred from single vehicle rollover accidents.
Continue reading →

An Interstate 265, Louisville, Kentucky crash involving a 15-passenger van carrying four elderly women and their driver was reported in a recent Courier-Journal article.

The van accident happened on the Gene Snyder Freeway, near the I-64 just north of Taylorsville Road as one of its tires blew out. The driver lost control and the van rolled over several times coming to a stop at a cable barrier. The group of women, who were not identified in the article, belonged to the South Jefferson Christian Church located at 6500 W. Orell Road. All the van’s occupants were taken to University Hospital. However, their injuries have been described as not life threatening.

I deeply sympathize with the injured in this auto accident and wish them a rapid recovery. I’m very distressed this rollover wreck happened when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has repeatedly said the 15-passenger van is unsafe. It is unfortunate the Church had chosen to continue using this vehicle.

An update posted on NHTSA Web site says there were 58 people killed in 2006 in 15-passenger van rollover crashes. Also data shows 31 percent of fatal rollovers for this vehicle happen in between the months of June and August.
Continue reading →