In addition to not wearing age-appropriate restraints, the children in this accident were being transported in a 15-passenger van, a vehicle not built to school bus standards. The Safety Board has consistently found in its investigations that when transporting children to school or school-related activities the safest form of transportation is a school bus or vehicle built to school bus standards. Fifteen-passenger vans are frequently used to transport child care students, school sports teams, van pools, church groups, and other groups. Although they are involved in a proportionate number of fatal accidents compared to their percentage in the fleet, they are involved in a higher number of single-vehicle accidents involving rollovers when compared to other passenger vehicles. Various factors have been associated with 15-passenger van rollovers, particularly occupancy level and vehicle speed. Because these vans are designed to carry 15 passengers, the Safety Board is particularly concerned about the relationship between the vehicles’ occupancy level and their rollover propensity. Fully loading or nearly loading a 15-passenger van causes the center of gravity to move rearward and upward, which increases its rollover propensity and could increase the potential for a driver’s loss of control in emergency maneuvers. The Safety Board is convinced that the best way to maximize pupil transportation safety is to ensure that all vehicles carrying more than 10 passengers and transporting children to and from school, school activities, and daycare centers meet federal school bus construction standards. The Safety Board has recommended that states implement a comprehensive child care transportation safety program. The program should include:
)
