69–008 

110TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 110–608 

PROMOTING THE SAFE OPERATION OF 15-PASSENGER 

VANS 

APRIL 29, 2008.—Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed 

Mr. OBERSTAR, from the Committee on Transportation and 

Infrastructure, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H. Res. 964] 

The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom 

was referred the resolution (H. Res. 964) to promote the safe operation of 15-passenger vans, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendments and recommend that the resolution as amended be agreed to. 

The amendments are as follows: 

Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the following: 

That the House of Representatives recognizes the need for awareness regarding the 

increased risks of driving 15-passenger vans and encourages any operator of such 

a vehicle or person who provides transportation in such a vehicle to provide adequate training for drivers and safety information, including the necessity for wearing safety belts, to passengers. 

Amend the preamble to read as follows: 

Whereas an organization that owns or operates a 15-passenger van should not allow 

an inexperienced driver of such a van to drive the van because design and handling characteristics of a 15-passenger van make it drive differently than other 

passenger vehicles; 

Whereas the safety records of drivers experienced in driving a 15-passenger van are 

significantly better than drivers not experienced in driving such a van; 

Whereas according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, from 

1997 through 2006 there were 1,090 fatalities of van occupants resulting from 

crashes involving 15-passenger vans of which 534 fatalities resulted from largely preventable single-vehicle rollover crashes of such vans; 

Whereas according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in 2005, 59 percent of the fatalities in 15-passenger van crashes occurred in single-vehicle rollover crashes, which is higher than the rollover fatality rates for any other passenger vehicle type; 

Whereas 15-passenger vans require special driving skills because they are larger, 

with higher centers of gravity, which makes them less stable than vehicles such 

as cars, especially if the van is heavily loaded; 


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Whereas adding passengers in a 15-passenger van increases the center of gravity, 

causing the van to be increasingly difficult to handle and less stable; 

Whereas the death rate for all occupants was higher for 15-passenger vans than for 

other passenger vehicle types combined; 

Whereas during the period 2001 through 2005, the death rate for occupants of 15- 

passenger vans was 250 fatalities per million registered vehicles compared to 

151 fatalities per million of all other registered vehicles; 

Whereas impressing upon 15-passenger van drivers the inherent dangers of operating these vehicles, particularly when fully loaded, and educating them about 

proper handling and control, particularly during emergency situations, can reduce the risk of rollover, and such training can also help dispel the expectation 

that these vans operate like large passenger cars; 

Whereas wearing safety belts dramatically increases the chances of survival during 

a rollover crash; 

Whereas nearly 80 percent of those who died in 15-passenger van rollovers nationwide between 1990 and 2003 were not buckled up; 

Whereas in fatal, single-vehicle rollover crashes involving 15-passenger vans over 

the past decade, 91 percent of occupants wearing safety belts survived; and 

Whereas driver education and training, and general awareness of the dangers of 

these vans are effective means of reducing the death rates of occupants of 15- 

passenger vans: Now, therefore, be it 

Amend the title so as to read: 

Resolution promoting the safe operation of 15-passenger vans. 

PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION

H. Res. 964 seeks to promote the safe operation of 15-passenger 

vans on our nation’s roads, recognizes the need for awareness regarding the increased risks of driving 15-passenger vans and encourages any operator of such vehicle to provide adequate training 

for drivers and safety information, including the necessity for wearing safety belts, to passengers. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

Fifteen passenger vans require special driving skills because they 

are larger, with higher centers of gravity which make them less 

stable than vehicles such as cars, especially if the van is heavily 

loaded. An organization that owns or operates a 15-passenger van 

should not allow an inexperienced driver of such a van to drive the 

van because design and handling characteristics of a 15-passenger 

van make it drive differently than other passenger vehicles. 

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, from 1997 through 2006, there were 1,090 fatalities of van occupants resulting from crashes involving 15-passenger vans of 

which 534 resulted from largely preventable single-vehicle rollover 

crashes of such vans. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in 2005, 59 percent of the fatalities in 15-passenger 

van crashes occurred in single-vehicle rollover crashes, which is 

higher than the rollover fatality rates for any other passenger vehicle type. 

The death rate for all occupants was higher for 15-passenger 

vans than for other passenger vehicle types combined. During the 

period 2001 through 2005, the death rate for occupants of 15-passenger vans was 250 fatalities per million registered vehicles compared to 151 fatalities per million of all other registered vehicles. 

Safety belts dramatically increase the chances of survival during 

a rollover crash. Nearly 80 percent of those people who died in 15- 

passenger van rollovers nationwide between 1990 and 2003 were 

not buckled up. 


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SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION

H. Res. 964 seeks to promote the safe operation of 15-passenger 

vans on our nation’s roads. H. Res. 964 resolves that the House of 

Representatives recognizes the need for awareness regarding the 

increased risks of driving 15-passenger vans and encourages any 

operator of such vehicle to provide adequate training for drivers 

and safety information, including the necessity for wearing safety 

belts, to passengers. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

On February 7, 2008, Representative John J. Duncan, Jr. introduced H. Res. 964. This resolution has not been introduced in a 

previous Congress. 

On February 28, 2008, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure met in open session to consider the resolution. The 

Committee adopted an amendment in the nature of a substitute to 

the resolution and ordered the resolution, as amended, reported favorably to the House by voice vote. 

RECORD VOTES

Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the House of Representatives requires 

each committee report to include the total number of votes cast for 

and against on each record vote on a motion to report and on any 

amendment offered to the measure or matter, and the names of 

those members voting for and against. There were no recorded 

votes taken in connection with the amendment offered to H. Res. 

964 or with ordering H. Res. 964 reported. A motion to order H. 

Res. 964, as amended, reported favorably to the House was agreed 

to by voice vote with a quorum present. 

COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of 

the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee’s oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in this report. 

COST OF LEGISLATION

With respect to the requirements of clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of 

the Rules of the House of Representatives, H. Res. 964 is a resolution of the House of Representatives and therefore does not have 

the force of law. As such, there is no cost associated with this resolution for fiscal year 2008, or for any fiscal year thereafter. 

COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII

1. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII 

of the Rules of the House of Representatives, and clause 308(a) of 

the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee advises that 

the resolution contains no measure that authorizes funding, so no 

comparison of the total estimated funding level for the relevant 

programs to the appropriate levels under current law is required. 

2. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII 

of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee advises that the resolution contains no measure that authorizes fundVerDate Aug 31 2005 04:16 Apr 30, 2008 Jkt 069008 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR608.XXX HR608

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ing, so no statement of general performance and objectives for any 

measure that authorizes funding is required. 

3. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII 

of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 402 of the 

Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee advises that the 

resolution contains no measure that authorizes funding. Neither a 

cost estimate nor comparison for any measure that authorizes 

funding is required. 

COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XXI

Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of 

Representatives, H. Res. 964 does not contain any congressional 

earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined 

in clause 9(d), 9(e), or 9(f) of rule XXI of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives. 

CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

With respect to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, H. Res. 964 is a resolution of the House 

of Representatives and therefore does not have the force of law. As 

such, clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII does not apply. 

FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

H. Res. 964 contains no Federal mandates. 

PREEMPTION CLARIFICATION

Section 423 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 requires the 

report of any Committee on a bill or joint resolution to include a 

statement on the extent to which the bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt state, local, or tribal law. The Committee states 

that H. Res. 964 does not preempt any state, local, or tribal law. 

ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act are created by this resolution. 

APPLICABILITY TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to the 

terms and conditions of employment or access to public services or 

accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act (Public Law 104–1). 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

H. Res. 964 makes no changes to existing law. 

Æ 


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