- Drivers of SUVs are among the least likely to die in a crash, according to a new report released Thursday by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
- The insurance industry-funded group says that SUVS are safer than ever because of the widespread availability of electronic stability control, which helps to prevent rollovers.
- The report is clearly aimed at federal regulators who are drafting new fuel-economy rules due out this fall that will force automakers to build and sell smaller, lighter vehicles.
ARLINGTON, Va. — Drivers of SUVs are among the least likely to die in a crash, according to a dramatic new report released Thursday by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. But small cars are still perilous despite safety advances, according to the IIHS.
The insurance industry-funded group points out that, in the past, many top-heavy SUVs frequently rolled over, "giving many models some of the highest driver death rates." But SUVs are safer than ever, it contends, because of the widespread availability of electronic stability control, which helps to prevent rollovers.
"In the new analysis, the death rate for SUVs is half that of cars," said the report.
The report is clearly aimed at federal regulators who are drafting new fuel-economy rules due out this fall that will force automakers to build and sell smaller, lighter vehicles. The report is also critical for consumers who are turning to smaller, more fuel-efficient cars in an era of high gas prices.
The death rate for SUV drivers dropped 66 percent, from 82 per million vehicles for 1999-2002 models to 28 per million for 2005-'08 models. But the death rate for drivers of small, four-door cars was 72 million vehicles for 2005-'08 models, down 35 percent from 110 per million in 1999-2002 models.
"The rollover risk in SUVs used to outweigh their size/weight advantage, but that's no longer the case, thanks to ESC," said Anne McCartt, the institute's senior vice president for research, in a statement.
The report also singles out many 2005-'08 models for praise and criticism.
The old Nissan 350Z is at the top of the list of highest rates of driver deaths. The report says that among four-door midsize cars, the lowest death rate was 19 for the Honda Accord and the highest was 99 for the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu, which was sold in 2008 as the Malibu Classic. The redesigned 2008 Malibu fared better with 67.
"The high death rate of the 2007 Malibu/2008 Malibu Classic could be connected to the fact that many were sold as fleet vehicles, which may be driven differently from private vehicles," the report said.
It noted that when looked at by vehicle style, minivans have the best record with a driver death rate of 25.
"For one thing, people don't behave the same when they're behind the wheel of a sports car as when they're driving a minivan," said the report in an explanation of adjusted driver death rates. "And some people are more susceptible to injury and death for reasons that can't be completely adjusted for."
Inside Line says: This is a testament to the effectiveness of electronic stability control — something that the feds are requiring on all new vehicles starting with 2012 models.
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openeyes1 says:
10:45 AM, 06/10/2011
@tooright1 and devnix; Great comments!
Maybe the IIHS should take in consideration on how many accidents SUV's cause, or are involved in.
A 2005 report indicated that even though SUV's made up less than 18% of vehicles on the roadways they were involved in 32% of al accidents.
I live in a northern winter environment, the number of SUV drivers I see speeding on snowy or icy roads is alarming. These drivers believe in their invincibility and put car drivers at enourmous risk with their reckless driving. Too many 4WD owners believe in the myth that they can stop quicker on ice than a 2WD car, so traveling through green lights in my car is always an adventure avoiding SUV's skating through red lights.
tooright1 says:
06:49 AM, 06/10/2011
This is a glass half empty/half full argument. SUV's are dangerous to drivers of normal sized vehicles.
dgmail says:
03:11 AM, 06/10/2011
Just looking at the SUV in the picture (nissan) is something I wouldn't be caught dead drivng.
tcnail says:
10:10 PM, 06/09/2011
Notice how all they always leave out exact numbers.
Percentages mean nothing.
A car like the Nissan 350z is not a car that is sold in as high a number as the Honda Accord. In that picture, they have the nismo track edition 350z, you could argue that that particular car has one of the highest death percentages of all cars simply because even 1 death could skew the percentage ridiculously high since its such a limited production vehicle. Meanwhile the same number of deaths in an accord would barely affect the accord percentage.
Its funny that they grouped ALL SUVs into one segment. Give me the exact numbers and I'll make percentages work for my arguments too.
Come on insideline, exact numbers. Do some research. I could care less what the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety thinks, their job is to present numbers not dictate what is safe. I want to see what insideline staff thinks is safe.
albook says:
10:08 PM, 06/09/2011
Now my buddy can tell his wife that his H2 was a safety precaution.
devnix says:
07:53 PM, 06/09/2011
All the small car drivers died because the big SUVs hit them :( RIP
93aero says:
05:15 PM, 06/09/2011
"There's a crucial piece of information we're missing here which is which cars were involved in fatal crashes. If we're actually going to make policy that makes everyone safer, we really need to know who's causing the crash, not just which driver survived. "
Even if you try and make a policy to increase safety, it would have to be geared towards taking people off the road, not a class of vehicle. The "who" in who is causing it, is not a car, its the driver. Which is why i said it comes down to human error here. Bad drivers plague all classes of vehicle (some more than others). Direct quote from the article "For one thing, people don't behave the same when they're behind the wheel of a sports car as when they're driving a minivan," .
cz_75 says:
05:09 PM, 06/09/2011
They're the most likely to kill someone else, driving like fools in inclement weather and thinking 4WD is a panacea that exempts them from the physics of driving heavy vehicles that are usually underbraked, handle poorly and have a high CG.
vwwv1 says:
04:58 PM, 06/09/2011
I'm not trying to spin anything. I'm just pointing out that driver safety does not equal everybody's safety. One of the commenters was saying more SUV's on the road equals better road safety which I think is a conclusion reached through at least 1 spurious assumption: that SUV's are safer or as-safe for the other car as well. This is obviously not true.
There's a crucial piece of information we're missing here which is which cars were involved in fatal crashes. If we're actually going to make policy that makes everyone safer, we really need to know who's causing the crash, not just which driver survived. If you're making an individual consumer decision, you're absolutely right: If you want to be safe, buy a tank.
If I'm generalizing about people in SUV's always allowing themselves to get distracted, I apologize, but that's definitely the trend if not the rule. I think "most" holds true, but people multitask a lot in CA.
Bikes are not more dangerous to other drivers. That's why I pay $250 per year in liability insurance on my bike and my quote for any car is no less than $1500.
93aero says:
04:20 PM, 06/09/2011
"You also point out that bigger cars are safer. This is definitely true but it's not because they're heavier."
IF you read the report its pretty much right there in black and white...
The correlation between vehicle weight and safety is what this was about. In the chart title "
pound for pound, suvs have lower death rate". This is because it IS heavier. Physics are why thats true, not my opinion.
Driving a CBR600f4i is all fine and good if you live in a place that allows for it. But in Ohio, we have weather. Being one who drives a sport bike, you are also aware of the amount of accidents those can cause by reckless idiots. To say i would be trading safety of others for my play, would be hypocritical;' because sport bikes like yours are known to cause alot of accidents, for the ones driving and other motorists.
It would be too overgeneralizing to say" Most of the people I see driving SUV's spend their drive texting while driving, calling their girl/boyfriends, and generally ignoring other traffic. SUV's basically allow you to trade away the safety of others so you can play." I have seen plenty of people texting and making calls on their phones in cars that are not SUVs. I don't text and drive, nor do i spend the time behind the wheel messing with anything else i can. Just because my car is large does not mean i feel like i cannot be alert when driving it. Your only going to get the full advantage out of safety if your driving it right. I have been ran off the road by jackass sedans on more than one account when it snows. Ive had two accidents involving another SUV and a coupe, so i've got out of my car what i bought it for.
You could spin the story any way you would like, but as i said. It comes down to the driver. I have seen people in all cars/bikes/vans/SUVs do many stupid things; and thats not a class of vehicle exclusive thing. Is my car more dangerous to others if i'm using it wrong? Sure. But so is your bike. So would a sedan. and the same with any other car on the road.