Even the safest driver in the best-equipped vehicle can end up involved in a crash. Drivers can only control the condition of their own vehicles and their behavior on the road. They cannot prevent others from texting while driving or getting behind the wheel after drinking.
Factors including where people drive and the who they encounter on the road directly influence their likelihood of a severe collision. Certain factors have a strong association with increased risk. Researchers have long sought to draw connections by analyzing major crashes. The information they have gleaned from reviewing collision reports can help people make better safety decisions.
Statistically, there are two types of vehicles that are most likely to end up involved in deadly collisions.
Sports cars
Vehicles like the Dodge Charger regularly show up on lists of the most dangerous vehicles. There are two main reasons that sports cars tend to be involved in more deadly crashes than vehicles designed for families or daily commuters.
The first is how people drive. Those in sports cars are more likely to be aggressive on the road and to exceed the posted speed limit. The way that people behave when operating sports cars can directly increase their likelihood of involvement in a severe or deadly crash.
The second factor is the focus on performance rather than safety during the design stage. Manufacturers focus more on appearance and overall performance than they do on integrating cutting-edge safety technology. Typically, at least a few of the most dangerous vehicles in any given year are sports cars.
Subcompact vehicles
Particularly small vehicles are dangerous as well. As vehicle trends have moved toward larger passenger vehicles, crash outcomes for those in smaller vehicles have worsened.
Vehicles like the Chevrolet Spark simply do not hold up well in collisions involving SUVs and other large vehicles. The vehicle most involved in the deadliest crashes is the Mitsubishi Mirage, which is another small vehicle that may not adequately protect occupants in a crash involving a larger vehicle, like a pickup truck.
Drivers who choose sports cars or subcompact vehicles may need to be particularly careful while in traffic. Understanding the factors that contribute to overall car crash risk can help people make more effective choices to avoid crashes or to respond to them when they occur.
