Deadliest Vehicles
As a driver, chances are you’re aware of vehicle safety ratings as determined by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. These ratings, often touted in auto ads, provide shoppers with data to help determine which cars are safer choices. This IIHS study is a bit different — it reveals cars in which there are greater chances of dying behind the wheel. The following data represents 2011 models; however, stats from as far back as model-year 2008 are included if the vehicles weren’t substantially redesigned before 2011.
Some good news: Overall, the odds of a driver dying in a crash in a late-model car have fallen by more than one-third in the last three years, thanks in a large part to advances in vehicle design and safety technology. To make this list, a vehicle must have had at least 100,000 registered vehicle years of exposure during 2009-12, or at least 20 driver deaths. Fatality counts are taken from the federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Registration data comes from R.L. Polk & Co.
Kia Rio
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 149
Multiple vehicle crashes: 96
Single vehicle crashes: 54
Single vehicle rollovers: 15
IIHS Safety Ratings
Moderate overlap front: Average
Side: Poor
Roof strength: Average
Head restraints & seats: Average
NHTSA Rating
Not tested
Nissan Versa Sedan
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 130
Multiple vehicle crashes: 44
Single vehicle crashes: 87
Single vehicle rollovers: 51
IIHS Safety Ratings
Moderate overlap front: Good
Side: Average
Roof strength: Average
Head restraints & seats: Good
NHTSA Rating
2 Stars
Hyundai Accent (4-door)
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 120
Multiple vehicle crashes: 65
Single vehicle crashes: 53
Single vehicle rollovers: 16
IIHS Safety Ratings
Moderate overlap front: Average
Side: Poor
Roof strength: Average
Head restraints & seats: Average
NHTSA Rating
Not tested
Chevrolet Aveo (4-door)
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 99
Multiple vehicle crashes: 65
Single vehicle crashes: 31
Single vehicle rollovers: 10
IIHS Safety Ratings
Moderate overlap front: Average
Side: Marginal
Roof strength: Marginal
Head restraints & seats: Marginal
NHTSA Rating
Not tested
Hyundai Accent (2-door)
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 86
Multiple vehicle crashes: 43
Single vehicle crashes: 48
Single vehicle rollovers: 20
IIHS Safety Ratings
Moderate overlap front: Average
Side: Poor
Roof strength: Average
Head restraints & seats: Average
NHTSA Rating
Not tested
Chevrolet Camaro
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 80
Multiple vehicle crashes: 19
Single vehicle crashes: 60
Single vehicle rollovers: 25
IIHS Safety Ratings
Not tested
NHTSA Rating
Not tested
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab 4WD
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 79
Multiple vehicle crashes: 40
Single vehicle crashes: 36
Single vehicle rollovers: 17
IIHS Safety Ratings
Moderate overlap front: Good
Side: Average
Roof strength: Moderate
Head restraints & seats: Average
NHTSA Rating
4 Stars
Honda Civic (2-door)
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 76
Multiple vehicle crashes: 46
Single vehicle crashes: 29
Single vehicle rollovers: 10
IIHS Safety Ratings
Moderate overlap front: Good
Side: Average
Roof strength: NA
Head restraints & seats: Good
NHTSA Rating
Not tested
Nissan Versa Hatchback
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 71
Multiple vehicle crashes: 37
Single vehicle crashes: 33
Single vehicle rollovers: 20
IIHS Safety Ratings
Moderate overlap front: Good
Side: Average
Roof strength: Average
Head restraints & seats: Good
NHTSA Rating
2 Stars
Ford Focus (4-door)
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 70
Multiple vehicle crashes: 55
Single vehicle crashes: 13
Single vehicle rollovers: 5
IIHS Safety Ratings
Moderate overlap front: Good
Side: Average
Roof strength: NA
Head restraints & seats: Good
NHTSA Rating
Not tested
Nissan cube
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 66
Multiple vehicle crashes: 38
Single vehicle crashes: 29
Single vehicle rollovers: 6
IIHS Safety Ratings
Moderate overlap front: Good
Side: Good
Roof strength: Good
Head restraints & seats: Good
NHTSA Rating
Not tested
Chevrolet HHR
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 61
Multiple vehicle crashes: 34
Single vehicle crashes: 25
Single vehicle rollovers: 9
IIHS Safety Ratings
Moderate overlap front: Good
Side: Average
Roof strength: NA
Head restraints & seats: Moderate
NHTSA Rating
Not tested
Chevrolet Suburban 1500 2WD
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 60
Multiple vehicle crashes: 31
Single vehicle crashes: 28
Single vehicle rollovers: 9
IIHS Safety Ratings
Not tested
NHTSA Rating
Not tested
Chevrolet Aveo 5-Door
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 58
Multiple vehicle crashes: 58
Single vehicle crashes: 0
Single vehicle rollovers: 0
IIHS Safety Ratings
Not Tested
NHTSA Rating
Not tested
Mercury Grand Marquis
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 57
Multiple vehicle crashes: 33
Single vehicle crashes: 25
Single vehicle rollovers: 0
IIHS Safety Ratings
Moderate overlap front: Good
Side: Moderate
Roof strength: NA
Head restraints & seats: Moderate
NHTSA Rating
Not tested
Jeep Patriot 2WD
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 57
Multiple vehicle crashes: 44
Single vehicle crashes: 9
Single vehicle rollovers: 3
IIHS Safety Ratings
Moderate overlap front: Good
Side – Moderate
Side w/optional side airbags: Good
Roof strength: Good
Head restraints & seats: Good
NHTSA Rating
Not tested
Mazda Mazda6
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 54
Multiple vehicle crashes: 34
Single vehicle crashes: 17
Single vehicle rollovers: 3
IIHS Safety Ratings
Moderate overlap front: Good
Side – Good
Roof strength: Average
Head restraints & seats: Moderate
NHTSA Rating
Not tested
Dodge Nitro 2WD (4WD pictured)
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 51
Multiple vehicle crashes: 7
Single vehicle crashes: 50
Single vehicle rollovers: 40
IIHS Safety Ratings
Moderate overlap front: Good
Side – Moderate
Roof strength: Good
Head restraints & seats: Average
NHTSA Rating
Not tested
Honda Civic (4-door)
Driver deaths per million registered vehicles: 49
Multiple vehicle crashes: 28
Single vehicle crashes: 21
Single vehicle rollovers: 8
IIHS Safety Ratings
Moderate overlap front: Good
Side – Good
Roof strength: Good
Head restraints & seats: Good
NHTSA Rating
3 Stars
5 Comments
How do Ford
F-150 Platinum rate
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great Info
I JUST PURCHASED A 2015 JEEP LATITUDE HOW DOES THIS COMPARE IN CRASHES.
I had a 2014 KIA RIO. Last year a person hit me while I was driving my car. It hit dead center. I was doing 40 mph the car that hit sstarted turning right into my lane. The only thing that surprised me was the air bag did not deploy, fortunately my seat belt saved me from hitting the steering wheel. If I had seen this list of Cars I may have not replaced it with the same 2014 KIA RIO.
I wish you would do the same type of aricle as this on the mechanic repairs. Currently I have several electrical problems. The worse part is it only happens when the weather is cold. I found this out living in Indiana.