A new study conducted by car research firm iSeeCars calculates the cars with the most frequent occupant fatalities. The research takes the fatal accident rate of a given car, compares it to the overall average, and ranks the cars with the most accident fatalities accordingly. The study found that the Chevy Corvette is the second deadliest car in America.
The Chevy Corvette has a fatal accident rate of 13.6 per billion vehicle miles, which is 4.8 times the overall average. The Hyundai Venue is the number one car, and the Mitsubishi Mirage is another small, cheap car rounding out the top three.
“New cars are safer than they’ve ever been,” said Karl Brauer, iSeeCars Executive Analyst. “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.”
The whole list largely comprises small cars and performance cars. Small-car occupants suffer more fatalities because of physics working against them in collisions with larger vehicles, especially trucks and SUVs.
As for the performance cars, it’s estimated that driver behavior is a contributing factor to their above-average fatality rates. “Most of these vehicles received excellent safety ratings, performing well in crash tests at the IIHS and NHTSA, so it’s not a vehicle design issue,” Brauer said. “The models on this list likely reflect a combination of driver behavior and driving conditions, leading to increased crashes and fatalities.”
Other small vehicles on the list include the Buick Encore GX, Kia Soul, and Nissan Versa, while performance cars include the Chevy Camaro, Porsche 911, Dodge Charger, and Tesla Model S.
We looked at the fine print in the methodology for this study, and it shows that “only cars from model years 2018-2022 in crashes that resulted in occupant fatalities between 2017 and 2022 (the latest year data was available) were included in the analysis.” That means, as it relates to the Chevy Corvette, the C7 and C8 are both represented in the study.
As GM Authority has reported, the C8 has been extremely successful in lowering the Chevy Corvette buyer’s average age and bringing new buyers to the Chevy brand. We can’t help but wonder if these factors are contributing to the high fatality rate in Corvette accidents. Regardless, as Brauer said, new cars are safer than ever, and “the biggest contributor to occupant safety is avoiding a crash, and the biggest factor in crash avoidance is driver behavior.”
Comments
It’s not the car that is dangerous, it’s the driver that makes the car dangerous. It’s the same mentality of blaming the gun instead of the person using the gun.
yes, it didn’t say the car was to blame but more so the driver’s behavior because it’s a sports car. However, if you just read the headlines and not read the article it would appear they are referring the car is unsafe.
george didn’t do well in this masterpiece.
I remember years ago when GM had Pontiac how the “excitement” division’s cars would routinely rank as less safe than platform mates from other divisions. Specifically the Pontiac Bonneville from the early 90s was at the bottom of the list for full-size sedan safety while Buick’s LeSabre would be at the top. The two cars were the same in terms of body structure and safety equipment but the driver demographics were markedly different.
That went for reliability too. The grand prize was on of the least reliable cars, the regal was one of the best…they were mechanically identical.
I agree the drivers in some cases are younger and not familiar with the power these cars put out that some of us grew up with in the 60’s/70’s, you have to respect the horse power and then enjoy the ride.
If I was corvette engineer, I wouldn’t be to pleased with the headline to this article. The car is safe, the dopes behind the wheel are not. Most modern day sport cars are total over kill for the road. Go to a race track if you want to press your limits. I say “your limits” because most buyers of these types of cars have more car than they can handle.
The study should be titled: “Most dangerous cars to be in when you are hit by a distracted woman on her phone”.
Does this news really surprise anyone? How many times does it have to be said “it’s the lose nut behand the wheel that’s the problem”! In my daily travels through out Southern California and especially in the Los Angeles County area, I see more unsafe driving by small compact vehicles such as Subaru’s or Honda Sport sedans that are driven by young drivers who for some reason seem to feel that they are driving in some sort of a game in which they have to traverse from point A to point B in record time! While their driving skills may be “hair trigger quick” as they dart in and out of t “law breakers” seems to be the “well to do” young male drivers in the 25 to 45 year old range driving their BMW’s or Mercedes Benz Sport Sedan’s who again seem to find it necessary to constantly drive at speeds that challenge road conditions especially on certain well known and popular canyon roads here in L.A. I cannot ever remember seeing a Porsche, or late model Corvette driver driving at unsafe speeds in traffic, same many other very expensive “Super Car” makes of which there are plenty all over the So.Cal. area at any given time of the day of night. This is just my observation, but when you see an especially terrible and deadly crash scene here in LA being shown on TV, take a good look at the vehicle or vehicles involved in these crashes, 90% of the time they are young drivers who are not driving Corvette’s (ect.) but newer family type sport sedans that are surprisingly decent handling and good performing in their own right but when driven recklessly or without abandon, usually end up causing the most amount of road deaths.
Simply my observation from over40 years of driving in the crazy Southern California (Los Angeles County) area, ’nuff said.
Up here in Oxnard, it’s Chargers, Challengers and Mustangs. One yellow Camaro that I know is going to end up sideways soon. Haven’t seen any Corvettes being driven over the limits around here.
Gee, ONE reason small cars are NOW more dangerous is because waaaay too many people drive tank-sized SUVs.
I find it shocking that there were far fewer fatalities in small cars decades ago, when THEY were the norm and trucks / SUVs were in the minority.
And now you have these MASSIVELY heavy EVs out there, too.
Another stupid misleading article title. It’s not the pit bull, it’s not the gun and it’s not the Corvette…it’s the dimwit owners who can’t drive or need to show off.
No, reality shows it’s the pit bull, the gun, and the Corvette, in the hands of the human.
I am LA County – SoCal. I agree. These kids and immature drivers finding it a must to race each other on the freeway makes me fearful of driving freeways outside of the city proper. Add to the Challengers, Chargers and Mustangs are the old pocket rockets (Hondas, Nissans) that are driven by kids seemingly less than 20. They come within inches and feet of clipping one’s bumper. I have yet to see a wrecked Corvette
GM is all sold on phasing out gas cars for ev’s in 2030, the Biden Policy,
They need to bring back the V6 and V8 and roll with Trump and the people’s Policy!!
This would apply to all vehicles being piloted by a careless disrespectful unsafe driver ! In my opinion !