Automotive

Are All 15-Passenger Vans Defective?

Some auto experts think that all 15-passenger vans are defectively designed because they have a propensity to roll over.  This quote raised my eyebrow:

"The rollover rate for fully loaded or nearly loaded 15-passenger vans is about three times the rollover ratio of vans with fewer than five passengers," the report said.

Source: Consumer Groups: Type of Van in NY Crash Unstable

Since 2002, Public Citizen has advocated a second set of rear wheels on 15-passenger vans.

Now, bringing a defective design lawsuit like this would be incredibly expensive, and may require the plaintiff to show a safer alternative design exists.  In theory, it wouldn't be terribly expensive to add a second set of wheels to the back of one of these vans.  I'll keep an eye out for any lawsuits over these designs.