Church Van Rollover Injures 16 in Hollister
According to a story on stltoday.com, a large church van overturned in an accident that left 16 people injured in Hollister, Missouri. Of the 16 injured passengers, 13 were treated and later released with only minor injuries. One accident victim was airlifted to a Springfield area hospital, while two other victims were driven to Springfield area hospitals. There is no update on the condition of the remaining three victims.
Police are investigating the cause of the crash, but suspect that slippery road conditions may have contributed to the incident. The auto accident in Missouri occurred at the bottom of a hill, and apparently resulted when the van crossed the center line, went off road, and then proceeded to crash into Kohler Creek. While inclement weather can certainly play a significant factor in causing a traffic accident, it is not the only danger that drivers of 15-passenger vans face.
Vans have a relatively high center of gravity to begin with, and their propensity for rolling over is considerably greater than nearly all over vehicles on the road. Factor in the shifting combined weight of passengers, especially since seatbelt usage may not be deemed a requirement by passengers, and the likelihood of a van rolling over is even greater. In any event, manufacturers of 15-passenger vans need to accept accountability for their shoddily designed vehicles.
While such vehicles are certainly convenient, particularly when transporting a large number of people, such as those associated with a church group, their convenience is canceled-out by the increased risk they pose when driven even under the most ideal of conditions.
While alcohol or drugs were not ruled out of the investigation, this accident seems like a relatively fair example of auto product liability, coupled with poor weather conditions, resulting in an accident. Luckily for the passengers of the van, no other vehicles were involved, and the vast majority of them walked away from the accident relatively unscathed. However, too many people are injured each year on Missouri’s roads and highways as the result of dangerous vehicle design and other contributing factors.
If you or a loved one has recently been injured in a traffic accident, please do not hesitate to contact the personal injury attorneys at Page Cagle. Our skilled St. Louis auto accident lawyers will examine the details of your crash, and will help determined whether or not negligence of some kind played an unfortunate role in your traffic accident. Call us today at 866-620-5757 for a free consultation.
Source article: http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/commutingtraffic/story/46A5159A591CC9A98625762D0057FA46?OpenDocument
