America's Most Dangerous Cars - Fatal Car Accident Statistics
A recent article from MSN discussed some of the safety hazards posed by smaller vehicles. As Americans are downsizing from SUVs into compact cars in an effort to improve gas mileage, questions are beginning to arise about the safety of smaller vehicles. While every automobile –whether car, truck, or SUV- undergoes stringent safety tests before being released, certain vehicles are safer than others. The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety recently released a report showing that some vehicles have a driver fatality rate of more than twice the average rate. At the same time, other vehicles have fatality rates that are significantly below the average. The study found 15 vehicles with low fatality rates of 25% of the national average. None of these 15 vehicles are small cars. In fact, the vehicle with lowest fatality rate is Chevrolet Astro van. Also on the list of safest vehicles are the Toyota 4Runner, Honda Odyssey, and Toyota Sienna. Of the 16 most dangerous vehicles, 11 were small cars and small trucks. Among the vehicles with the highest death rates were the Pontiac Sunfire, Dodge Neon, Kia Rio, and Acura RSX.
In essence, studies are finding that smaller vehicles, although more fuel-efficient, pose greater safety risks than larger SUVs and trucks. Before you purchase your next vehicle, consider visiting the websites for the National Highway Safety Institute and the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety for full crash-test reports. For more information on vehicle safety, visit the Library section of Christensen Law Firm’s website for additional articles on the subject.
