Study Reveals Vehicles with Highest Driver Death Rates

A recent study by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) has ranked driver death rates by make and model for the 2023 model year. The results show that more than half of the vehicles with the highest driver death rates are small cars, sports cars, and muscle cars. The Kia Rio has the highest death rate, with 170 deaths per million registration years, followed by the Nissan Versa.

The study also found that eighteen of the twenty models with the lowest death rate are SUVs, with some luxury vehicles having a death rate of zero. However, when it comes to the risk posed to other drivers, larger vehicles such as the Ram 3500 pickup truck have a significantly higher other-driver death rate, with 204 deaths per million registration years.

According to IIHS President, the issue lies in the combination of powerful engines and aggressive driving, making sports cars and muscle cars particularly dangerous.

The study highlights the importance of considering not just a vehicle's safety rating, but also its potential impact on other road users. It also notes that while vehicles have never been safer in terms of crash safety ratings, there are still areas that need to be addressed, such as the requirements for obtaining a driver's license in the US.