These 5 SUVs Could Put Your Family In Danger
Drivers consistently cite safety as one of the most important considerations when looking for a new car.
According to Consumer Reports, a high seating position, all-wheel-drive capability, and a rugged look can all lend an air of safety to sport utility vehicles in the minds of buyers, but that doesn’t mean that all SUVs are safer than other vehicle types. In fact, some crossovers and SUVs have much higher accident fatality rates than average.
Using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, iSeeCars.com analyzed cars from the 2018 through 2022 model years to determine which models have the highest rates of fatal accidents. A total of 13 SUVs have a fatal accident rate at least two times higher than the average car.
There is a correlation between a vehicle’s size and its fatal accident rate, with smaller vehicles generally showing a higher number of fatalities. But that’s not always true. The Ford Bronco and Mercedes-Benz G-Class are sizable SUVs, and the Honda CR-V Hybrid, Tesla Model Y—the most popular vehicle in the world—and Toyota Venza are sized for family use.
SUVs With the Most Frequent Occupant Fatalities (per billion vehicle miles): |
|---|
Hyundai Venue (13.9) |
Honda CR-V Hybrid (13.2) |
Tesla Model Y (10.6) |
Buick Encore GX (9.8) |
Buick Envision (8.0) |
Kia Seltos (6.8) |
Ford Bronco (6.6) |
Ford Bronco Sport (6.2) |
Toyota Venza (5.6) |
Hyundai Kona (5.1) |
Nissan Kicks (5.1) |
Chevrolet Trailblazer (4.7) |
Mercedes-Benz G-Class (4.3) |
Driver behavior is cited as one contributing factor to a vehicle’s fatal accident rate. According to Karl Brauer, iSeeCars Executive Analyst, “The biggest contributor to occupant safety is avoiding a crash, and the biggest factor in crash avoidance is driver behavior.”
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Growing up in a family obsessed with performance and as the son of an automotive engineer, Jeremy Korzeniewski has spent his entire life as a car enthusiast. Also an avid motorcyclist, Jeremy has spent the last two decades writing about the transportation industry and providing insights to many of the largest automotive publications in the world.
More by Jeremy Korzeniewski
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Now, bring back station wagons with decent suspensions. I've always maintained my opinion that SUV's are death traps. Many years of unscientific observation, while driving past the "scene of the accident", seemed to indicate to me that SUV's were involved in rollovers far more often than sedans. This is the reason I drive european "cars", since American manufacturers no longer build suitable sedans or coupes (other than a couple of equally dangerous, over-powered Stellantis products).
4 cars on the list are among the least expensive cars driven by young people more likely to crash.