We are two adults, one 5 yr old, one 7 yr old, do a lot of commuting
in Philadelphia suburbs, often icy , snowy in the winter.  For about
30 thousand dollars which is safer SUV or Minivan.   thank you in
advance

You might find this article interesting. An excerpt:

"The worst minivan is safer than the best SUV. Clearly anyone who buys
an SUV with the goal of providing safer transportation for their
families has made a serious mistake."

http://thirdtablet.com/InfiniteJustUs/scott_raney.html

Have you checked the crash test results of the NHTSA yet?

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/testing/ncap/

This article from the current issue of "Time" may be of interest:

"As if higher crude-oil and gasoline prices weren't enough bad news
for SUVs, the latest accident data out of Washington provide more
reason to think carefully before buying one. According to the
Department of Transportation, SUV occupants are nearly 11% more likely
to die in a crash than are folks in passenger cars. But the
government's recently released rollover test results for the 2004
model year show that SUVs vary widely in their tippiness, giving
buyers more incentive to shop around. Such statistics may well
accelerate the popularity of crossovers, the new breed of bulked-up
station wagons flooding the market that combine car and SUV elements.
Built on car platforms, not on truck frames like most SUVs, crossovers
ride lower to the ground and boast better maneuverability and gas
mileage than truck-based SUVs do (though crossovers typically aren't
rugged enough for serious off-roading). Many in the new class come
with high-torque V-6 or V-8 engines and all-wheel drive for grippier
road handling. With their lower centers of gravity, they score better
in rollover tests than most SUVs do, with the Chrysler Pacifica
earning top marks, followed by the Nissan Murano, Honda Pilot and
Volvo XC90."

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101040830-686065,00.html

Read:
"High and Mighty: SUVs--The World's Most Dangerous Vehicles and How
They Got That Way"  by Keith Bradsher