The safety of motor vehicle has come a long way in recent years, but there are still a number of vehicles that are downright dangerous for drivers and passengers who are involved in car accidents. While some larger cars, SUVs, minivans, and trucks could stand a few safety improvements, smaller vehicles and mini-cars top the list as some of the most dangerous automobiles on the road.
Are Smaller Cars Riskier?
A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety exposes the increased risk of driving smaller vehicles versus midsize and larger SUVs and passenger trucks. In fact, some smaller cars pose nearly 15 times the risk. Most four-door mini-cars have a fatality rate of about 87 per million registered vehicle years, while larger four-wheel drive SUVs have a rate of just six.
According to researchers, the five most dangerous cars on Nevada roadways are all classified as mini-cars or small cars. Since these cars don’t provide the protection for drivers and passengers that their bigger counterparts can offer, victims of serious car accidents often suffer more severe, deadlier injuries than people who are riding in larger vehicles. And because crash test safety ratings are based on comparisons between vehicles within the same category, even little cars with top safety ratings could be risky.
The Deadliest Cars on the Road
These small cars have the highest fatality rates of all passenger vehicles.
- Hyundai Accent Sedan: This four-door mini-sedan ties for first place in multiple-vehicle crash fatalities with a death rate of 104 per million registered vehicle years.
- Kia Rio Sedan: Although this four-door mini-car has fewer fatalities overall than some other types of cars, it tops the list for deaths in multi-car crashes with 80 per million registered vehicle years.
- Scion tC: A small, two-door coupe, the Scion tC packs a big punch in crash fatalities overall, tying for second place with the Hyundai Accent.
- Chevrolet Spark: With a fatality rate in multi-car accidents of 69 deaths per million vehicle years registered, the Spark is one of the deadliest four-door mini-cars on the road.
- Nissan Versa: The Versa has a death rate in overall crashes of 96 per million vehicle years registered, with a fatality rate of 61 in multi-car crashes.
