Passenger Van Crash in Fort Worth
This morning The Fort Worth News reports, A crash that killed a Fort Worth man and a Cleburne teen and injured 13 others Monday is a reminder of the danger of rollover accidents involving large passenger vans, traffic safety experts say.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued four warnings since 2001 — including one about a month ago — that 15-passenger vans are more likely to roll when fully loaded.
Officials usually issue the warnings during the summer, when travel is the heaviest, said Rae Tyson, a spokesman for the agency.
"The more passengers and luggage you load, the higher the center of gravity, the more likelihood you could be involved in a rollover," Tyson said. "We try to always put out a warning this time of year reminding people to take precautions."
A rear-tire blowout appeared to have caused the crash early Monday on Interstate 35 southwest of San Antonio, state authorities said. The 1995 van veered into the median, rolled and came to rest upside-down.
Edilberto Aguilar, 55, of Fort Worth and Jose Sanchez, 15, of Cleburne were killed. The 13 survivors were hospitalized; at least three had been discharged as of Tuesday, a hospital spokeswoman said.
The family group was traveling to Mexico on vacation, authorities and neighbors said.
Sanchez would have been a freshman at Cleburne High School this fall, said Lisa Magers, a Cleburne school district spokeswoman.
Although school is not in session, she said, "We will be of any help or assistance to the family that we can in their time of sorrow."
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued four warnings since 2001 — including one about a month ago — that 15-passenger vans are more likely to roll when fully loaded.
Officials usually issue the warnings during the summer, when travel is the heaviest, said Rae Tyson, a spokesman for the agency.
"The more passengers and luggage you load, the higher the center of gravity, the more likelihood you could be involved in a rollover," Tyson said. "We try to always put out a warning this time of year reminding people to take precautions."
A rear-tire blowout appeared to have caused the crash early Monday on Interstate 35 southwest of San Antonio, state authorities said. The 1995 van veered into the median, rolled and came to rest upside-down.
Edilberto Aguilar, 55, of Fort Worth and Jose Sanchez, 15, of Cleburne were killed. The 13 survivors were hospitalized; at least three had been discharged as of Tuesday, a hospital spokeswoman said.
The family group was traveling to Mexico on vacation, authorities and neighbors said.
Sanchez would have been a freshman at Cleburne High School this fall, said Lisa Magers, a Cleburne school district spokeswoman.
Although school is not in session, she said, "We will be of any help or assistance to the family that we can in their time of sorrow."
