Passenger Van Safety

There have been a number of fatal accidents involving 15 passenger vans in the news this month, highlighting the need for owners and drivers of these vehicles to take specific steps to ensure safety for their passengers. Due to their much larger size, passenger vans have much different handling and performance from smaller passenger vehicles. The increased size and weight require the driver to take a number of additional steps to insure safety, and prevent serious accidents and rollovers. Below are a few tips from the Car Accident Lawyers at Rutter Mills to think about when driving a passenger van.

1. Inexperienced drivers are one of the leading causes of passenger van accidents. Make sure the driver fully understands the difficulties and implications of driving a much larger vehicle.
2. Put an even greater emphasis on vehicle maintenance, especially tire pressure and brakes.
3. Don’t Overload, these vehicles are already extremely heavy, and overloading the van can change the center of gravity and increase the risk of a rollover.
4. Increase Braking Distance – Give yourself much more room to react, and remember you aren’t driving a sports car!
5. Slow Down! These vehicles are not meant to keep up with everyday interstate traffic. Drive at a safe speed and don’t be in a rush.