15-Passenger Van Safety Training & Products

We offer van driver safety training and products to minimize risks when operating 12- and 15-passenger vans

If you drive large 12- and 15-passenger vans for daycare, to senior citizen events, taking athletic teams to sporting events, or shuttling employees in work carpools, it’s important that you realize that 15-passenger vans can be very dangerous if not maintained and driven correctly.

15-Passenger Van Safety

Fifteen-passenger vans can move multiple workers from one location to the next in one vehicle, cutting transportation costs. But it’s important to know that these vehicles present serious hazards.

“Research has shown that 15-passenger vans have a rollover risk that increases dramatically as the number of occupants increases from fewer than five to more than 10,” states the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, adding that “15-passenger vans with 10 or more occupants had a rollover rate in single-vehicle crashes that is nearly three times the rate of those that had fewer than five occupants.”

15-Passenger Van Safety Kit - Safety Report

These vehicles can pose a safety risk to inexperienced van drivers and other road users. We recommend van drivers insist that all occupants wear seat belts at all times; that drivers of 15-passenger vans are trained and experienced; tires are checked at least once a week, using the manufacturer’s recommended pressure levels; and nothing is placed on the roof of the vehicle.

Church Van Safety

Several Church Mutual insurance customers have been in very serious one-vehicle rollover accidents during the past few years. Most have been with 15-passenger vans and resulted in serious injuries. Several of the accidents involved multiple fatalities.

The leading causes of 15-passenger van accidents are poor maintenance, mainly tire blowouts, and driver error. With the
proper steps, you can help prevent these rollovers and reduce the seriousness of injuries when they do occur.

We recommends congregations not use 15-passenger vans; however, if you must use one, become familiar with the dangers and take steps to keep your travel safe. Make sure the people driving your passenger vans have completed a 15-passenger van safety training course, like the one we offer at BrightFleet.

Rental Vans and 15-Passenger Van Safety

If you need to rent a vehicle for a group of seven or more people, you have two choices: You can rent multiple cars or one passenger van with room for 12 or 15 people.

While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has highlighted the safety issues inherent in 15-passenger vans, the United States is far more lenient than the rest of the world in allowing drivers to operate passenger vans.

While a regular driver’s license might allow you to drive a 12- or 15-passenger van in the United States and many Mexican resort towns, in Europe you would be limited to vehicles seating nine people.

In Canada, vehicles seating more than 12 passengers are considered commercial vehicles. That means you would need a commercial driver’s license to cross the U.S. / Canada border in a rented van.

Van Safety Kit™

The Van Safety Kit™ provides organizations with the necessary tools to implement an improved large 15-passenger van safety program. Recommend one complete kit per van, additional Safety Check Hard Cards are also available.

Each kit consists of the following:

  1. 15 Passenger Van Safety Report – 1 per kit
  2. Seat Belt Stickers – 5 per kit
  3. Mirror Hanger – 1 per kit
  4. Safety Check Hard Cards – 5 per kit (Includes: Safety Policy, Loading List, Passenger Emergency Contact List, Pre/Post Trip Circle Checklist)

15 Passenger Van Course Catalog

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