15 PASSENGER VAN ROLLOVER ACCIDENT LAWSUIT
This
site deals with passenger van rollover safety & roof crush failures,
recall news update, dual wheel remedy / fix & legal actions.with the Ford
Econoline E350 Van, Ford Club Wagon Van ,Chevrolet Express 3500 Van, GMC Savana
G3500 Van, GMC Rally / Vandura G3500 Van and Dodge Ram Van/Wagon B3500 Passenger
Vans. In a rollover accident, 9 , 12
and 15 passnger vans can all have major roof pillar collapse causing the roof to
crush into the passengers also causing the roof pillars to fold and collapse.
This side roof pillar colapse and movement can cause door latches to open and
separate form the door lock jambs,subjecting the occupants to ejection and
contact with the road surface during a rollover.
NEWS
ALERT:
Not Just
Talk...But Action.! Products
liability lawyer David P. Willis," ... puts
his money where his mouth is ... "
Because to his concerns with the rollover hazard that existed with his
church's older 15 passenger van, he purchases a new van for his church. (Click
Here Church Van)
LOADED
15 PASSENGER VANS - ROLLOVER RISK INCREASED
The National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
issued a cautionary warning to users of 15 passenger vans because of an
increased rollover risk under certain conditions. These
15-passenger vans are used by churches, daycare and eldercare centers,
schools, universities, and airport shuttle services -- yet they are extremely
hazardous vehicles. Originally manufactured as cargo vans, automakers never
redesigned these Fifteen
(15)passenger vans to safely
transport people. The results of the recent safety administration analysis
revealed that 15-passenger vans have a rollover risk that’s similar to other
light trucks and vans when carrying a few passengers. However, the risk of
rollover increases dramatically as the number of occupants increases from
fewer than five to more than 10 passengers. The NHTSA study noted that even
when carrying between one and four passengers, the 15-passenger vans were 17
percent more likely to be involved in a rollover accident than smaller vans or
minivans.
The 15-passenger vans (with 10 or more occupants)
had a rollover rate in single vehicle crashes that’s nearly three times the rate of those that were lightly loaded. The analysis revealed that loading
the 15-passenger van causes the center of gravity to shift rearward and
upward, increasing the likelihood of rollover. The shift in the center of
gravity also will increase the potential for loss of control in panic
maneuvers. The NHTSA urged institutions using 15-passenger vans to require
seat-belt use at all times since buckling up dramatically increases the
chances of survival during a rollover crash. The federal agency noted that 80
percent of victims who died in 15-passenger van rollover accidents last year
were not wearing seat belts. NHTSA officials said there are about 1.4 million
15-passenger vans registered in the United States. The agency identified a
number of 15-passenger models including Ford Econoline E350, Chevrolet
Express 3500, GMC Savana G3500, GMC Rally / Vandura G3500 and Dodge Ram Van/Wagon B3500. While new federal laws
prohibit the sale and use of 15-passenger vans for the school-related
transport of high school age and younger students, no such prohibition exists
for vehicles to transport or college students or other passengers with
churches, carpools or commercial ventures.
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15
Passenger Van Rollover Comparison
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The
risk of rollover in 15-passenger vans increases dramatically with the
number of passengers on board, according to an analysis of
single-vehicle crash data by the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration.
|
Passengers
|
Crashes
|
Rollovers
|
Rollover
ratio
|
|
Less
than 5
|
1,815
|
224
|
12.3%
|
 |
|
5
to 9
|
77
|
16
|
20.8%
|
 |
|
10
to 15
|
55
|
16
|
29.1%
|
 |
|
More
than 15
|
10
|
7
|
70.0%
|
 |
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SOURCE:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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The consumer
advisory was prompted by a number of accidents involving college sports teams.
Four members of the track team of Prairie View A&M University in Texas
were killed and seven injured when their van rolled over on the way to a meet
last year. Other serious 15 passenger van rollovers involved the
Wisconsin-Oshkosh swim team, the DePaul women's track team and the Kenyon
College swim team. Also
a 15 passenger 2000 Dodge van carrying 10 students from Long Island's
Chaminade High School veered off an Arizona highway near the Grand Canyon and
overturned, killing one student and the teacher who was driving the van.
The
manufacturers of these 15 passenger vans have known for many years
of the rollover
propensity of the vans and have failed
to properly test this van and remedy the problem.
Nor have they properly warned the consumer of this potentially deadly
problem. 15-passenger
vans are used by churches, daycare and eldercare centers, schools, universities,
and airport shuttle services -- yet they are extremely hazardous vehicles.
Originally manufactured as cargo vans, automakers never redesigned these
vehicles to safely transport people. When five or more passengers are
riding in these vans, the likelihood of rollover increases dramatically.
Because the rear of these vans extend 4 to 51/2 feet beyond the
rear wheels, any loading of five or more people or luggage/equipment causes
instability during emergency maneuvers such as sudden turns to avoid a
pedestrian or vehicle. This causes the vans to fishtail, and because
they are top heavy and overloaded in the rear, they are prone to roll over and
result in devastating crashes.
According
to some engineers, there is a possible fix to
the rollover problem. Adding dual wheels (an additional
wheel on either side) to the rear of these vans has been shown in testing
to increase the vans' stability and improve handling in turns and in
emergencies stops
and emergency avoidance maneuvers. A retrofit by the
manufacturers of the 500,000 vehicles on the highway would cost $ 400-800 per
vehicle .
Unfortunately,
General Motors Corporation and Ford Motor Company refuse to retrofit
15-passenger vans with dual rear wheels. Ford Motor Company maintains that,
despite the mounting evidence suggesting otherwise, the E Series van is
"a very safe vehicle." The company "recommend[s] that drivers
of 15-passenger Econoline vans avoid sharp turns, excessive speeds and abrupt
maneuvers." Many rollovers, however, are precipitated by unavoidable
emergency maneuvers and tire failures, as Ford perhaps knew. Also, attached is
an article that appeared in the Los Angeles Times that discusses a recent
ruling by a federal judge that concluded Ford deliberately hid evidence
related to the company’s testing of its 15-passenger vans.
A long-term
solution is also essential -- the vans must be redesigned to protect
passengers in rollover and side impact crashes, and to comply with school bus
and other federal safety standards from which they are now exempt.
CONTINUED USE OF 15 PASSENGER VANS:
The University of
Florida has issued their own 15 Passenger Van User Policy ( See:15
Passenger Van Rollover Risk Policy) Should you
temporarily need to continue to use these dangerous vehicles, the following
recommendations are based on those made by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board and the
GuideOne Insurance for lowering the risk of rollover in 15
passenger vans.
- Screen all drivers: it is best to require
that drivers obtain a commercial driver’s license;
- Remove the rear seat of the vans to reduce
loading behind the vehicle’s rear axle;
- Limit the capacity to 9 persons including
the driver, which dramatically reduces the risk of rollover;
- Load forward seats first at all times;
- Communicate with passengers, parents and
other parties about the high risks;
- Do NOT tow anything behind the vehicle
or load the roof;
- Do NOT use the back cargo area. Prohibit it
from being loaded and used as a storage area.
- Conduct a full safety inspection of the
vehicle, including all tires, pre- and post-trip (tire blowouts are
particularly dangerous and often lead to rollovers);
- Include safety items on board, such as a
fire extinguisher, first aid kit and cellular phone (which should not be
used during driving);
- Require ALL passengers and the driver
to wear proper safety restraints any time the vehicle is in motion.
- Replace all affected 15 passenger vans
that have not been updated or retrofited to make safe. Check with your
local van dealer to get more information of what is available.
15
PASSENGER VAN ROLLOVER & ROOF COLLAPSE LAWSUITS
 If
you or a member of
your family has been involved in a 15 Passenger
van rollover accident or other truck or suv rollover with severe roof crush, roof pillar collapse failure or any
other serious accident or
failure and you have questions about whether the vehicle
or roof design may caused or contributed to the accident or
injuries, then call us now. Mr. Willis is a Board Certified
Personal Injury Attorney with over 20 years of product liability and
rollover litigation experience.Call the Willis Law Firm at 1-800-883-9858 for
a Free & Confidential Consultation or Click
Here
PLEASE NOTE: The statements and information provided on this web site are for the informational purposes only. This law firm is not affiliated in any way with any trademark owner. The use of any trademarks on this site is for product identification and information purposes only .This webpage is provided to you to assist in SUV Rollover accidents, passenger van rollovers, 15 passenger van rollover accidents, recalls, truck accidents & rollovers, tire tread defects, tire separations, roof crush and roof pillar collapse, seat belt failures, fuel fed fires and other related rollover accident issues, including rollover injuries and deaths.This site is not intended to provide legal advice to the reader and NO attorney-client relationship shall be deemed to arise from the receipt this page and/or its associated pages or any oral or e-mail communication to or from with the Willis Law Firm. There will be NO lawsuits filed, claims made, letters or phone calls made for a prospective client, until that person is represented by the firm. An attorney client relationship only arises after the attorney and client have signed a written attorney client contract.
Mr. Willis is licensed attorney in New York and Texas. He is a Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Lawyer, certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Read more about Board Certification, Click Here. Principle office is Houston, Texas.
Mr. Willis has represented clients in personal injury, auto accident, suv rollover, van & truck rollovers and other product liability and negligence cases from across the United States, including clients from Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin & West Virginia.
Further, any statement or reference to past personal injury, products liability or SUV rollover lawsuits, settlements or verdicts should NOT be relied upon in one's own case or in your decision on which law firm to hire. All client's cases, facts, injuries, damages, venues and lawsuits are different and there is NO way to predict the outcome of a particular case, verdict of a jury or judge or the strength of a case before a judge, jury or the appellate court system. The client is responsible for all of their own medical expenses. All cases are handled on a contingent fee basis. NO attorneys fees or case costs charged to client, unless a recovery is made for the client. Often in very serious and catastrophic injury and death cases Mr. Willis may associate with another products liability attorney as co-counsel and in other matters, the case may be referred. In cases where a legal matter is referred, Mr. Willis will continue to maintain joint responsibility with the handling attorney or lead counsel and actively monitor the progress and development of the case. Due to his 22+ years of experience in personal injury and products liability cases, Mr. Willis will often continue to assist in working with the hired experts and engineers and in research of the defective product or other related legal matters in the case.
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