Several auto brands have the dubious distinction of topping a list of the vehicles with the highest traffic fatality rates.
The iSeeCars.com ranking lists the 23 vehicles that it says statistics show have a U.S. fatal crash rate at least twice that of the average car.
The fatal crash rate of the top five is almost five times higher. They are the subcompact Hyundai Venue SUV, the Chevrolet Corvette, compact Mitsubishi Mirage car, Porsche 911 and Honda CR-V Hybrid, based on iSeeCars’ analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fatal crash data for model years 2018 to 2022.
The brand with the highest fatality rate is Tesla, despite its advanced driver-assist technology. It’s followed by Kia, Buick, Dodge and Hyundai.
The research found that compact and subcompact vehicles had the highest rate of fatal crashes at 3.6 for every billion miles traveled, while full-size vehicles have the lowest rate at two per every billion miles.
Traffic fatalities rose during the pandemic, and while they’ve since tapered off, they’re still at “crisis levels,” the NHTSA said in September. ISeeCars says the crash rate and the fatality rate in the past five years exceed that of the previous 12 years, according to Insurance Institute for Highway Safety data.
“New cars are safer than they’ve ever been,” said iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer in a press release. “Between advanced chassis design, driver assist technology, and an array of airbags surrounding the driver, today’s car models provide excellent occupant protection. But these safety features are being countered by distracted driving and higher rates of speed, leading to rising accident and death rates in recent years.”
