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Q: Do recent advances in 15-passenger van construction make them safe enough today for church use?

A: I believe the Ford and GM 15-passenger vans have become safer in the last few model years. In addition to the redesigns, wheelbase changes, stability control features (GMC's StabiliTrak and Ford's AdvanceTrac®/RSC®), and horizontal crash bars, are improvements in controlling rollover accidents and protection in side crashes.

But 15-passenger vans still do not meet many of the safety standards that a multifunction school activity bus (MFSAB) meets. Church insurance companies may still impose restrictions on the use of these vans. In addition, new federal laws now prohibit not only the sale but also the purchase of 15-passenger vans for the use of transporting children to and from school.

While Ford and GM seem to be addressing some of the safety issues of these vans, until the government and insurance companies recognize these improvements, I don't see them as a viable alternative to small buses. Wait another year or two to see how these new models perform on the road compared to older models, and how the government and insurance agencies respond.

The bottom line is that legislation and insurance companies still do not support the use of 15-passenger vans.

Jeff Hanna is founder and president of Ministry Continuity Solutions (jeffhanna.org) and consulting editor for Christianity Today International's Your Church Safety Alert
. He is a nationally recognized church risk management expert and a former pastor.

Copyright © 2006 by the author or Christianity Today/Your Church magazine.
Click here for reprint information on Your Church.

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