Clarion-Ledger: Common Tire Blowout on a 15 Passenger Van Turns Fatal, Wigington Interview
Jun 06, 2019
According to The Clarion-Ledger, a fatal 15-passenger van accident ensued when its left rear tire’s tread separated, causing the van to lose control and subsequently rollover. The 15-passenger van rollover caused the death of a schoolteacher, and injured six others.
Reporting that these 15-passenger vans have long been under speculation due to their high propensity for rollovers, and federal rules now prohibit new sales of said vans to school and church groups, citing safety issues. Wigington Rumley Dunn & Blair LLP partner Jeff Wigington was contacted for his expertise on the subject of these van rollovers.
“The left rear tire is something that commonly fails in 15-passenger van accidents, partially because of the unequal weight distribution because of the weight on that tire,”said Wigington. “A momentary loss of control can be fatal.”