Often, when a large group of people travels to an event together, one church bus or van isn’t enough. This prompts church groups to drive to destinations in a caravan of buses, vans or cars.

If all drivers know where they’re going and avoid risky maneuvers, caravan travel can be safe. If not, the practice can be fraught with danger.

What’s the Problem?

Fear.   The fear of getting separated lies at the root of most problems involving autos traveling together. If drivers are blindly following the lead vehicle, they may panic at the thought of getting lost, especially with a van full of people eager to arrive at the event. This can lead them to take risks, such as tailgating, running a red light or failing to yield at an intersection.

Not long ago, two teenagers died, and two were critically injured, while taking a church-sponsored trip to a nearby town. All were in a car driven by a 19-year-old. The driver stopped at a stop sign, then proceeded onward. A semi-trailer truck broadsided his car. Records indicate the driver was trying to keep up with a caravan transporting 60 people from his church.

Fun! A desire to have fun might also lead drivers to do foolish things, such as race other caravan members, or weave in and out of traffic. This is more common among teenage drivers.

Teenagers -- both male and female -- are more apt to tailgate and speed if they have a teenage male passenger in the front seat, according to a study released in August by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health. Sixteen- and 17-year-olds also had higher crash rates in the presence of teen passengers, the study showed.

Trust.   Secondary drivers might follow the caravan leader blindly, assuming the first driver has assessed the risk for the entire procession. For example, the third driver might watch the first two vehicles make a U-turn safely and follow suit, not realizing a truck is barreling toward him.

What’s the Solution?

Remove the fear factor.   If you arm each driver with a good map and directions, they needn’t panic if they lose sight of the pack. “If everyone knows where they’re going, there’s no need to follow one another,” says Dave Lantz, manager of casualty claims for Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Co.

Give them cell phones or two-way radios, and drivers can alert the others to a flat tire or sick passenger requiring an emergency stop. Even if caravan drivers lose visual contact, they can still communicate with one other. Providing these tools can help eliminate convoy travel and its risks.

Use experienced drivers. Teenagers take more risks when driving with their peers than alone, at least one study has shown. Combine that with limited driving exposure, and your accident risk increases. Select drivers who are at least 21 and have clean driving records (you can order reports online). Make sure they operate the vehicle they’ll use before the actual trip. Pay special attention to tight turns, parking, backing, and braking, especially with heavily loaded vehicles.

“The most severe accidents -- often involving fatalities or serious injuries -- usually are caused by drivers’ lack of understanding of the handling dynamics of longer vehicles,” reports Scott Figgins, Brotherhood Mutual’s vice president of claims. Vans and buses have longer wheelbases and higher centers of gravity than cars do, which makes them handle differently than cars.

Remember others.   The lead driver must be mindful of the entire caravan when changing lanes, turning and entering intersections. Other drivers will mirror his moves, sometimes when it’s unsafe to do so. If he misses an exit, he shouldn’t attempt an abrupt U-turn on the highway. He should drive to the next exit, where all vehicles can get turned around safely.

Get a navigator.   Have an adult in each vehicle manage the maps and act as navigator so the driver can focus on the road. Traffic, weather and passengers provide ample distractions without the additional pressure of reading a map in one’s lap.

Switch drivers every few hours.   Giving drivers a break lets them grab a quick nap or cup of coffee and stay fresher. Remind them not to compete or socialize with other caravan drivers.

Have a Plan B.   Before leaving, all drivers should have a plan for what to do if they become lost or separated from the rest of the caravan. Where should they meet? How can they communicate with the others? Agree on a distress signal -- such as flashing the headlights twice -- that will cause the lead vehicle to stop.

Are There Alternatives?

Drive independently.   The easiest alternative to driving in a caravan is to provide each driver with good directions and a map. This will enable group members to reach the destination independently and meet at a given time. You might even stagger departure times so that everyone travels separately.

Charter a bus.   Hiring professionals can relieve the stress of providing transportation, especially on long trips. It might cost more than using church-owned or private vehicles, but the benefits of safety and convenience could outweigh the expense. Choose a bus company with a good safety record. Ask the company’s management to provide the names of other groups it has served and call those groups for a reference.

Limit vehicles.   If traveling in a group appears to be your only option, limit the number of vehicles involved. A van is better than three passenger cars; a bus is better than a van, and so on. This doesn’t mean you should stuff 20 people into a 10-passenger van. You should only carry as many passengers as you have seatbelts, and all passengers must wear them.

Avoid 15-passenger vans.   Fifteen-passenger vans have been involved in more than 1,500 fatal crashes since 1990, leading the federal government to issue multiple warnings about them. The vans have a long wheelbase and high center of gravity, making them more prone to roll over than other passenger vehicles. Occupants who aren’t wearing seatbelts are likely to be fatally ejected during a rollover.

Small buses must meet stricter safety requirements, so they’re a better option. If you must use a 15-passenger van, remove the rear seat and carry no more than 10 passengers. The more vans weigh, the more likely they are to overturn if the driver swerves suddenly.

A little “upfront” attention pays off.   When someone is needed to drive a church vehicle, it’s tempting to hand the keys to an available person and assume that everything will be OK. Many times, it will. But consider how much grief your church will be spared if a fatal accident is avoided.

Perhaps because safety precautions seem mundane, many drivers don’t give them much attention. In group travel situations, basic safety measures are more critical than ever. Take the time to evaluate your church’s group transportation methods. You’ll be thankful you did.

Laura J. Brown is a writer and communications specialist with Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Co., an insurer of churches and related ministries. Founded in 1917, the Fort Wayne, Ind.-based company is committed to providing quality property and liability insurance coverage, custom-designed to help churches and related ministries do their work safely and effectively. For more information, visit www.brotherhoodmutual.com or call 800.333.3735.