Or ask Wellspring Community Church of Jenison!

(NOT a good day on US-131 for churches named Wellspring!)

Background

There are over 500,000 15-passenger vans on the road today. These vehicles are popular with daycare and eldercare centers, college sports teams, military facilities, summer camps, community and church groups, and airport shuttle services. But several high-profile accidents in the late 90's drove home just how important it is that the person behind the wheel be knowledgeable about these largerthan-average vehicles.

What is a 15-passenger van?

A 15-passenger van looks like an ordinary van, but is 4 to 5 1/2 feet longer, extending over the rear wheels. Capacity is for up to 15-passengers.

15 Passenger Vans Are Not Automobiles

While your driving know-how and skills are valuable assets, it's important to realize that the vehicle you'll be driving this time - a 15-passenger van - is very different from what you may be used to. To begin with, a 15passenger van is higher, longer, and wider than a car. This is obvious to anyone, but what may not be so obvious is how much this size difference changes the handling characteristics of the vehicle. To keep you and your passengers safe while on the road, you'll need to understand these differences, and compensate by modifying your driving behavior. You'll also need to develop some new skills.

What kinds of accidents are most common with these vans?

Single vehicle rollovers are one of the most common accidents with these vans.

Center of Gravity

The center of gravity for a car is usually located at the bumper level of the vehicle. The low center of gravity gives the vehicle road stability. The center of gravity for a fully loaded passenger van is normally at the bottom of the windows. In a 15passenger van, the center of gravity is not at a fixed height that never changes. In fact, it changes every time a passenger boards or exits the vehicle.

Center of Gravity

The stability of a vehicle is impacted by how many passengers it carries, as well as by where those passengers are seated. Keep in mind that the center of gravity raises by 4” as you fill each seat

Load from front to rear for stability

Besides shifting the center of gravity upward, carrying a large number of passengers also shifts the center of gravity rearward. This has a tendency to cause the vehicle to "fishtail" during emergency maneuvers. To reduce the possibility of fishtailing, when seating passengers, always fill the front seats first and, whenever possible, avoid placing people or luggage on the back seat. To avoid raising the center of gravity, it is also important never to store luggage on the roof of the van.

Effects on the Center of Gravity