Vans like one in Grundy County crash that killed 4 Amish family members prone to rollovers
The van that rolled over in a Grundy County accident that killed four members of an Iowa family was of a type known to be prone to such accidents.
The Iowa State Patrol said it was a 15-passenger 2002 Chevrolet Express van. The van was traveling on a snow-covered stretch of westbound U.S. 20 early Friday when, according to the state patrol, it hit a slick spot and went out of control, entering the median and rolling before it came to a stop in the eastbound lanes.
The van was nearly at capacity, carrying 13 people when it wrecked. Three children and one adult died, and the other nine children and adults were injured, the state patrol said.
15-passenger van risk known since 2001
Transportation safety officials have known since 2001 that some models of 15-passenger vans, including the Chevrolet, are prone to roll in a crash when loaded with people. Federal officials have issued repeated safety warnings to carmakers and the public. Some insurance companies, including West Des Moines-based GuideOne, refuse to cover them. And at least 28 states, including Iowa, prohibit public schools from using them to transport students.
Iowa's law limits the design capacity of vans used to transport students to 12. Yet many of the 15-passenger vans, like the one that crashed Friday, remain in private use.
More:Iowa town joins local Amish in mourning loss of three children, young father
Analysis shows higher risk of rollovers in crashes
The Courier-Journal, a sister publication of the Des Moines Register in Louisville, Kentucky, analyzed millions of crash records from six states between 2004 and 2017, finding older models of the vans, lacking modern safety features, have about a 52% chance of rolling in a crash when fully loaded and traveling at highway speeds.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration drew similar conclusions when it analyzed van crashes in 2001 after several rollovers involving college students made headlines.
NHTSA found the vans' center of gravity shifts up and to the rear when fully loaded, raising the likelihood of rollover if the driver makes a tight turn or swerves for any reason.
Iowa State Patrol spokesperson Sgt. Alex Dinkla said an enhanced risk exists for any vehicle with a high center of gravity.
"These are always a rollover hazard when vehicles slide out of control, or are traveling too fast for conditions," he said.
Previously:Names released of 3 children and adult killed in Grundy County van rollover
Some models discontinued; Chevy, GMC now have stability control
Public Citizen, the consumer advocacy group founded by "Unsafe at Any Speed" author Ralph Nader, in a 2002 analysis said Ford and Dodge 15-passenger vans were particularly tippy because of tail-heaviness; the extra passenger space had been achieved simply by stretching the van's length behind its rear axle to allow for an extra seat. Chevrolet and GMC 15-passenger vans had longer wheelbases that have since been stretched further, according to the Courier-Journal.
Dodge discontinued its Ram Wagon van in 2002 and Ford ceased producing its E-line stretched van in 2013 after rejecting recommendations that it ensure better stability by equipping the vehicles with dual rear wheels ― a feature of the small buses the United Methodist Church recommends its churches use instead of the vans.
Chevrolet and GMC continues to produce their Express and Savana vans. The manufacturer began equipping the vans with electronic stability control in 2003 ― one year after the 2002 model that crashed Friday.