NHTSA Urges 15-Passenger Van Users to Check Tires
The NHTSA says tire safety is especially important for 15-passenger van users.
During Tire Safety Week (May 24-30) the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reminding vehicle owners to check their tires before driving. A special emphasis has been placed on operators of 15-passengers vans in order to avoid deadly crashes.
NHTSA says tire safety is especially important for van users because of the possibility of rollovers. The vans' common use by summer camps and youth groups means they will be active in the summer. DOT says between 2004 and 2013, 653 Americans dies in crashes while riding in 15-passenger vans, an average of 65 occupants per year. Sixty percent of these fatalities were in vehicles that rolled over.
According to NHTSA, it's important for operators to remember that tires degrade over time, even if the tread is not worn down.