Are large vans becoming too risky for families?

Yes, large vans are becoming really risky for people. When you’re riding an airport shuttle, driving into your favorite collegiate team, or traveling on a church outing, you might want to reconsider your method of transportation. 

Industry watchers have scrutinized the safety record of the vans more closely after several high-profile fatal rollover accidents in recent years.

As a matter of fact, there was a warning issued about urging safe operation of the vehicles, wearing of seat belts, and advising that trained and experienced drivers operate the vehicle by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Jeff Hanna, executive director of the GuideOne Center for Risk Management, claims, “On one hand it’s partly a business decision, but on the other, morally, we just couldn’t stand seeing the carnage and we felt compelled to act.”

During the past two years, GuideOne had eight claims for fatalities and 42 injuries in vans it has insured. According to the vice president of Alliance of American Insurers (AAI), a trade association of insurance carriers, Rita Nowak, this organization is aware of the safety issues and increased risk associated with the vans.

“The 15-passenger van has been noted for a high number of rollover accidents and it seems that part of it is a driver issue.

It’s designed like a truck, but the individual operator assumes it is more like an SUV or a minivan. Especially when it’s fully loaded, some inappropriate drivers’ actions have caused some serious accidents”, claims Nowak.

Nowak claims that even though safety precautions, like wearing seat belts, significantly reduce the chance of fatality or injury, vehicles have not been subject to a government recall.

80 percent of minivan fatalities in 2000 were people who weren’t wearing seat belts, according to the NHTSA. No action was necessary for State Farm, the nation’s largest auto insurance company.

“We do issue policies and would decide that on a case-by-case basis, just as we would for any other vehicle, and we have not seen any need to make any rate increase.

Our claim experience has been average to better-than-average for this type of vehicle”, says spokesperson Dave Hurst. Policies concerning the operators and operations of 15-passenger vans continue to be tightened by some institutions that use the vehicles extensively.