Vans more likely to roll over
■ New data reveals that
passenger vans carrying more
than 10 people may pose a
greater threat to occupants
By Hank Hager
Oregon Daiiy Emerald
The National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration has cautioned
universities and organizations across
the country about the possibility of
fatal injuries in roll-over accidents
involving passenger vans. According
to the report, loading 10 or more peo
ple into 15-passenger vans heightens
the possibility of the vehicle rolling
over during a crash.
The report also said vans with
fewer than five passengers stand a
12.3 percent chance of rolling over
during a crash. Vans with 10 to 15
passengers have a 29.1 percent
chance of tipping over, and those
with more than 15 passengers rolled
over in 70 percent of the crashes.
Data was taken from wrecks record
ed in Maryland, Missouri, New
Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania and
Utah from 1994 to 1997.
Dan Geiger, coordinator of the
Outdoor Program, said he questions
the report’s findings, because the
figures released do not specify the
characteristics of the study. He also
questioned the final figure, saying
there should never be more than 15
passengers placed in a van specifi
cally made to fit 15.
It should be “based on what you
can safely put in the van,” he said.
He said the Outdoor Program cur
rently uses vans that weigh one ton,
which he said decreases the possi
bility of the van rolling over.
Greg Goracke, associate athletic
director at Oregon State University,
said the school has attempted to
phase out using vans for its athletic
teams as much as possible.
“We want to take the element of
risk out of our athletes’ hands,” he
said.
He said the Athletic Department
encourages its teams to use buses
whenever possible. There are times
though, when teams have to use
vans to get to events.
Sandra Vaughn, recreation coor
dinator for the EMU, said she appre
ciates the information the NHTSA
has provided and will use it when
scheduling trips. But, she said, most
trips taken by Club Sports teams do
not have a full load.
“It’s difficult to take a full load in
these vans,” she said, adding the
amount of equipment and personal
luggage makes it tough for teams to
use less than two vans.
There have been reported inci
dents of accidents at the University
involving passenger vans, one as re
cently as last week.
Vaughn said members of the Club
Sports baseball team were involved
in a minor “fender-bender” while
traveling on Interstate 5 last week,
though no damage was done to the
team’s vehicle. No players suffered
injuries.
Gregg Lobisser, director of student
activities in the EMU, said he re
members an incident approximately
10 years ago involving University
students and a passenger van. Al
though he could not recall specific
facts from the incident, he said the
driver, a University student, became
drowsy. The student then overcom
pensated to avoid a crash and
caused an accident, but fortunately
there were no serious injuries.
Lobisser said the University
needs to acknowledge the report.
“It’s certainly something we
should be aware of as a University
and EMU and ASUO programs,” he
said. “It’s good to be mindful of it.”
Lobisser said the University is do
ing a good job of educating poten
tial drivers on the safety of the road.
“You could say we’re a little bit
ahead of the curve in the education
we do,” he said, but added that “we
need to incorporate some of [the
NHTSA’s] information into our
thinking.”
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Calendar
Thursday, May 3
EMU Craft Center Lonely Pot Sale of
fers ceramics and other pottery. 10
a.m.-3 p.m. Craft Center, Erb Memori
al Union. For information, call 346
4361.
Campus Planning Committee Meeting.
Agenda includes updates on the
Gilbert Hall project, 955 E. 13th Ave.
project and the LTD Bus Shuttle. 2-3:30
p.m. Room 228, Chiles Business Cen
ter. For information, call 346-5572.
Humanities Lecture: Musicologist
Kofi Agawu of Princeton discusses
“Ethical Issues in the Representation
of African Music” in a continuation of
the "Engaging African Modernities”
symposium from March. 4 p.m. Alum
ni Lounge, Gerlinger Hall. Free. For
information, call 346-3934. Recep
tion follows.
Comparative Literature Lecture: Fran
co Moretti, Stanford University, dis
cusses “On Bourgeois Seriousness."
4:30 p.m. Browsing Room, Knight Li
brary. Free. For information, call 346
3986.
Visiting Artist Lecture: Printmaker
and University alumnusChristy Wyck
off, Pacific Northwest College of Art,
discusses his work-prints and paint
ings, 1980-2000.6 p.m. Room 115,
Lawrence Hall. Free. For information,
call 346-3610.
KoehnColloquium lecture: Homi K.
Bhabha of the University of Chicago,
a respected cultural critic and leading
voice in postcolonial studies, discuss
es "Space Agency: Ethics and the
Enunciation of Equality.” 7 p.m.
Room 177, Lawrence Hall. Free. For
information, call 346-3631.
Freeman Foundation Panel: “China
and the World Economy: The Chal
lenges of Sustainable Development”
includes presentations by Changjin
Sun, Chinese Academy of Social Sci
ences; Jinlin Yang, Ministry of Fi
nance; and Tom HuTao, State Envi
ronmental Protection
Administration, Beijing. 7:30 p.m.
Room 128, Chiles Business Center.
Free. For information, call 346-1521.
Author Event: University alumnus
Joseph Sutton reads from and signs
copies of his loosely autobiographical
book, "Morning Pages: The Almost
True Story of My Life,” the tale of how
a chance encounter leads the main
character/narrator Ben Halaby to be
gin each day writing his waking
thoughts and, by turn, the story of his
life. 7:30 p.m. Browsing Room,
Knight Library. Free. For information,
346-4331, Ext. 228.
China and the Wadd Ccenamif:
If he Challenges o£ SustainaMe Development
Shaw day, May 3 - SaneC Discussion
She Waxtd Sxade Organization
and Chinese Scwestxy
Dr. Changjin Sun, Director, Research Center of Ecological and Environmental
Economics (RCEEE) at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing
China'6 Western ^Development Strategy and the
Jntematianal Community: Meeting She
Challenges of. SustainaBilitg
Mr. Jinlin Yang, Director, International Financial Institutions Division II of
International Department, Ministry of Finance of China, Beijing
China '6 CLccetdion to the Would 5%ade VxganizaUan,
dgxicultuve Policy, Change and Wo
Cniwtanmental Jmpdcatiom
Dr. Tom HuTao, Director of Environmental Economics Program
of Policy Research Center of State Environmental Protection
Administration (SEPA) of China, Beijing
Univexoity, of Onegan - 128 CAileo Centex
7:3C pm
This series is sponsored by the Freeman Foundation and Center for Asian and
Pacific Studies. For more information, call 346-1521.
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