In spite of warnings by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and others based on numerous studies, the death toll from 15-passenger van rollover accidents continues to rise. According to the Van Angels website, “From 1982 through 2007, there were 698 fatal rollovers of 15-passenger vans in which an occupant of the van was killed.”
Van Angels and other similar internet sites offer poignant examples of the devastation that can occur because of these vans. The website was begun after three young missionaries were killed and two seriously injured in a rollover crash just outside Monterrey, Mexico. They were riding in a 1998 Ford E-350 van.
The families of the victims sued and Ford settled the lawsuit. However, during the course of the trial, they were alarmed to discover that the manufacturers of these vans: Ford, GM and Dodge, would rather settle lawsuits than to do a recall of the existing vans. Van Angels was created as way to educate the public about the dangers of these vans
As you scroll through the Van Angels site and other Internet sites, faces and stories emerge of those who have been lost in 15-passenger van accidents. Many of the victims are children such as:
- Jasmin Wickard, 14, of Leipsic, Texas. When the 15-passenger van in which she was riding was struck by another car, it overturned and several children, including Jasmin, were ejected.
- Even though she was wearing a seatbelt, 10-year-old, Alexis James was thrown and killed when the 15-passenger van she was riding in blew a tire and overturned in South Carolina.
- Four-year-old Rose Neihart was killed in a rollover crash in Pocatello, Idaho.
The list goes on and more names continue to be added. Many of these fatalities were because the tires on the vans were poorly inflated, which makes the vehicle harder to control in an emergency.
The devastation of losing a loved one so suddenly in a vehicle crash is heartache nearly beyond bearing. Yet, the families of these victims continue to persevere by reaching out and taking measures to warn others of the risks of riding in these vans.
If you or a loved one have been involved in a 15-passenger van accident and need assistance finding an attorney, please fill out the form at the right.
You must log in to post a comment.