The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) analysis revealed that loading a 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 increases the potential for loss of control in panic maneuvers. The report concluded that “the risk of rollover increases dramatically as the number of occupants increases from fewer than five occupants to over ten passengers.” The results of the NHTSA testing indicated that, when loaded with 10 or more passengers, the rollover risk was triple the risk of the same van carrying five or fewer passengers.

Three major U.S. automotive manufacturers offer 15-passenger vans Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler. The models offered have changed little since the introduction of 15-passenger vans more than three decades ago. Fifteen-passenger vans are commonly used by preschools, colleges, athletic teams, church groups, transit services, state and federal government fleets, and as ambulances. According to Fatality Accident Reporting Statistics (FARS) data, these vans have been involved in 280 fatal single vehicle rollovers for the model years 1981-1999. The prevailing pattern in 15-passenger van single vehicle accidents is vehicle rollover following a rear tire blowout. There were 2,513 people involved in these crashes, 432 were killed and 881 received incapacitating injuries. Of the 2,513 people involved in these crashes, only 109 avoided a potential injury. Seatbelts provided no guarantee of safety, 39 seatbelt wearers were killed and another 159 were seriously injured.

Fifteen-passenger vans are regulated by the Federal government as buses rather than passenger cars or trucks because of their large seating capacity. However, due to their lack of many safety features integral to school bus design, such as protective seating, emergency exits, special mirrors, special structural strength, and modified fuel systems, 15-passenger vans are considered nonconforming vehicles. Today, it is illegal under federal law for new 15-passenger vans to be sold for school use because the vans do not meet the federally mandated safety standards for school buses. However, because the federal law only pertains to the manufacture and initial sale of these vehicles, used 15-passenger vans can be and frequently are sold to schools and school servicing entities for the transport of children.

In February 1999, a National Transportation Safety Board report on Pupil Transportation in Vehicles Not Meeting Federal School Bus Standards provided a detailed analysis of four accidents involving students traveling in noncomplying vehicles. Three of the four accidents involved 15-passenger vans. The report concluded that intrusion into the vehicle and roof crush in the accidents resulted in preventable injury or death in each of the incidents. Federal law for new 15-passenger vans only applies to primary and secondary school students. Consequently, colleges and universities are not prevented from purchasing the vehicles to transport students and staff.

The auto manufacturers in an attempt to shift the focus off the inadequate vehicle construction and maneuverability claim that driver inexperience is a primary cause of these accidents. Many organizations and universities have bought into this bogus smokescreen with a variety of recommendations that include: driver-training classes; previous van driving experience; and/or possessing a driver's license for five or more years. However, the FARS data shows that 75 percent of the drivers involved in these fatal rollovers were at least 24 years of age, and 50 percent were over the age of 34. Given these statistics, it is difficult to support the automakers' claim that driver inexperience is a primary cause of these accidents. As one noted auto expert points out, “dangerous vehicle characteristics such as inadequate stability cannot be recognized by the average and prudent driver.”