Modern cars have numerous airbags, stabilization systems, and automatic braking, but road accidents continue to claim lives. It turned out that there are models in which people die in accidents more often than in other vehicles. 

Choosing a car is an important decision. When you’re ready to buy from a dealership, you may want to avoid the models more likely to be in an accident. Check out our list of the 10 most dangerous cars based on data from the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) and internal statistics compiled from Indy Auto Man dealership.

Which cars are the most dangerous? 

Experts claim that small cars and sports coupes are most often at risk. The former cannot provide the required level of safety due to their size, while the latter are originally designed for speed and aggressive driving.

The small Mitsubishi Mirage is estimated as the most dangerous – on average, 10.2 cars of this model are involved in a fatal accident per 1 billion miles driven. In second place is the iconic Chevrolet Corvette (9.8 cars per billion miles). The Honda Fit (7.7 cars) closes the top three.

The industry average is 2.6 fatalities per billion miles driven, experts say.

However, among small cars, this figure is 4.5, and for sports cars, we are talking about 4.6 fatal accidents. Additionally, passenger cars have a higher death rate compared to crossovers and SUVs, which lead in the safety ratings. Check the list of the safest cars of 2024 here.

So, the most dangerous cars in the USA in 2024 are as follows: 

• Mitsubishi Mirage: 10.2 fatal crashes per billion miles,
• Chevrolet Corvette: 9.8,
• Honda Fit: 7.7,
• Kia Forte: 7.4,
• Chevrolet Spark: 7.2,
• Subaru BRZ: 6.9,
• Nissan 370Z: 6.2,
• Nissan Versa: 6.1,
• Kia Rio: 5.9,
• Dodge Challenger: 5.8.

That said, no matter which car you drive, you’re at risk of fender benders and more serious accidents. This is why it’s important to practice defensive driving whenever possible.

Are the weight and dimensions of the car decisive?

In general, bulkier vehicles provide better protection for users during an accident by the laws of physics. The longer the crumple zone, the better the car body tolerates loads. However, it is worth remembering that all modern cars have carefully designed passive safety systems that provide maximum protection. Vehicle weight matters when two vehicles collide. During a head-impact collision, the larger vehicle will push the smaller one out.

Thus, occupants of a large car will be subject to less force than occupants of a small car, even if both vehicles are equipped with high-end safety systems. However, in recent years, manufacturers have made changes to “equal chances” for different vehicle sizes.

So if you’re worried about having your car totaled in an accident, you may want to choose a bulkier car for maximum protection.

Most dangerous cars for other road users: passive safety systems

There is no doubt that the smaller car will be worse off in a collision with an SUV, even if both vehicles score the same on standard safety assessment tests. It’s also worth noting that the SUVs and pickup trucks produced until recently posed a greater threat to compact cars. In them, the structures responsible for passive safety were located high.

In some cases, a taller car could even run over the roof of a smaller one. The bumper, positioned high and often made of metal, also puts pedestrians at risk. Therefore, modern plastic materials are currently used in production, ensuring better protection for all road users.

Summing up

Small and inexpensive cars are highly valued but still lack the safety features of models in the more expensive segment. On the other hand, sports cars reach high speeds, and their owners tend to drive more aggressively. High speed means high risks. 

However, the responsibility is always on the driver, and no safety system will replace good concentration, reaction, and driving experience. 

If you’re ever injured in an accident, make sure to contact our team at Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers. Fill out our contact form and we’ll help you get the compensation you deserve to treat your injuries and return back to normal life.

Jeffrey Nadrich

Jeffrey Nadrich is a nationally-recognized California plaintiff’s personal injury attorney. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley and UC Hastings College of the Law. He has successfully represented thousands of injury clients over the last 40 years.