Driver training, seat belts can reduce van accidents.

Vans that can carry 15 people are often used by schools, churches, community organizations and even airport shuttle services.

Vans are more likely to roll over, however, and when they do roll, they're more likely to be filled with passengers. More than half of all 15-passenger vans involved in a single-vehicle, fatal accident had rolled over, compared to one third of passenger cars in similar accidents, according to the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.

More than 80% of the 15-passenger van occupant fatalities resulted from a single vehicle accident where the van rolled over, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. And a 15-passenger van filled to capacity was five times more likely to roll over than if the driver was alone in the van.

"Risk managers should be very aware of the fact that these vans are not sedans, and people who drive these vans need to understand that they handle differently," said David Golden, director of commercial lines for the PCI and the author of a paper that emphasizes the importance of driver training and seat belt use with 15-passenger vans.

Passengers in such vans need to buckle up, he said. "The vast majority of those killed in van roll-overs were not wearing seat belts. People who buckle up in cars have a tendency, for some reason, to get in these vans and not use a seat belt," Golden said. "These are people who use scat belts when they are driving, yet they'll get into a van with a driver they don't know and not wear a seat belt."

Golden also said risk managers should be aware of maintenance issues relating to tires. "These are truck tires, not car tires," Golden said.

However, he noted 15-passenger vans represent just one in every 400 vehicles on U.S. roads.

The NTSB has issued a safety alert on 15-passenger vans, including the following safety tips:

* Wear seat belts. Three out of four people killed in accidents involving 15-passenger vans were not wearing seat belts.

* Check tire pressure and condition. Vans that aren't used regularly often are not maintained properly. A number involved in fatal accidents were left in parking lots for extended periods of time, subjecting the tires to weather and sun. Tires can rot before they wear out, and under-inflated tires cause increases in temperature and flexibility, which increases the likelihood of a blowout.

* Drivers should receive training. Occasional drivers aren't familiar with how vans handle, especially in emergency situations. Vans, especially when full, have a higher center of gravity that's more toward the rear of the vehicle, which magnifies steering and braking changes.

* Don't overload the vehicle or use a roof rack. The heavier the vehicle is, the greater the change in the center of gravity.

Vans More Deadly

15-passenger  vans are more likely to be involved
in fatal accidents.

Number of fatal, single-vehicle crashes
Per 100,000 registered vehicles, 2001

Passenger Cars          8.0
SUVs                   11.8
Pickup Trucks          11.4
15-Passenger Vans      13.9
Other Vans              6.5

Note: Table made from bar graph

Source: National Center for Statistics & Analysis