Which cars are deadliest? 

I would love to see crash tests that are more like what you'd see in my corner of the world, like a Honda Civic vs. a Ford F250 modified with a lift kit and wheel spacers.

The reason why death rates are so high now compared to 10 years ago is because compact and midsize sedans, combined with compact SUV's were the best sellers at the time... yet all were 500 pounds or less within each other, not affecting the crash severity too much.

I think the main factor in driver deaths in smaller cars is the fact that everyone's driving what can be the equivalent in size and weight to a small school bus.

I think that the auto companies pushing the bigger SUVs helps boost the death rate and that it is not necessary for all people to have them. Also, people who can afford the bigger SUVs and trucks buy them because they know that they’ll get creamed in a midsized sedan. The muscle cars are notorious for their accident rates. People who can only afford an old car or smaller car will automatically be at a disadvantage. So, this affects people who don’t have as much money. Also, if a pedestrian gets hit by a larger car, they get killed faster and the pedestrian death rates have increased due to this.

there should be more regulation on pickups. They are extremely dangerous not only for other drivers, but even more for pedestrians and cyclists. Their visibility is absolutely abysmal since the hood is not tilted down, and their weight and height makes them a killing machine for pedestrians ran over by them.

Highest other driver death rate goes to large pickups and SUVs. Maybe people should start looking at smaller cars so that the maneuverability increases and the likeness of crashing goes down too

They briefly mentioned the Corvette during the interview, but when has IIHS ever done crash testing on a Corvette? Would love to see how the C8 does in all of the IIHS tests.

The issue is when someone buys anything to impress someone else which is just sad, not marketing. The rest is lack of situational awareness or individuals who might even understand they're lost and terrified drivers, who should not drive, but seriously what options do they have?

I think we should start rate how each vehicle has its danger potential to other vehicles due to its weight

The way the other driver death rates are high for small vehicles vs big vehicles, say the Kia Rio sedan, a mini-car, is because they run into a F250 and the F250 runs up onto it like a ramp and flips over....

My smart car has survived several wrecks with semis. I walk away unscathed everytime ;)

Weight of the vehicle has almost no impact on the lethality of the crash in single car crashes. How many of those crashes with smaller cars were single car crashes where the occupants weren’t wearing seat belts? Seat belts are the single biggest factor in survivability.

I believe people should pay taxes based on the size of their cars. This things are killing machines.

As a Texan I can confirm Ram 3500 drivers operate their vehicle to cause death to other drivers 😅

I secretly wonder how many of those 5200-6500K bright white and bright blue headlights on Pick-Up trucks and SUVs have contributed to crashes in the past five years? I would truly love to the see the IIHS run a light reactive test to see how much those lights impare an on-coming driver in a car or compact sedan.

Interesting that the Volvo XC90, which is purported to never have a fatality, is shown as having 4 in the IIHS data. However, the confidence interval at 95% also includes the possibility of zero deaths? Surprising to see two sedans in the zero-death category.

This insight is very helpufull, Small cars are not the problem at all (like they said), but big SUV's and trucks are getting out of hand with all of their big sizes,, and the worst thing is anyone can get one, and their drivers are the worst... I think bigger cars are a stupid idea, they don't add anything to the automotive world... most of the trucks and SUV's aren't going to be used as they should and they are going to be used only in the city... They are a waste of space, resources and fuel... and I'm not even an environmentalist we have a V8 Biturbo but it's a car, not an SUV, such big cars shouldn't have to come with that amount of hp only torque. for me if a truck or car is bigger than f-150 is a waste of engineering unless you are going to carry the space shuttle then go ahead. Also what's with all that much power?? most of those cars aren't going to be used at their full potential unless some teenagers race them to kill some innocent people. Again I love my car with 550hp but we don't used that power unless we are going to run it on a track, and again is a car not an SUV. I don't like to be a party popper and I like big engines as much as anyone else but people is stupid and we need rules... TC shouldn't been allowed to be turned off unless is a real professional driver or something like that

Challengers are Darwin awards magnet.

I agree that manufacturers and promoting reckless driving, it is in many of the car commercials. I think if people want to hold gun manufacturers responsible each time a school shooting occurs, which I have never seen a TV commercials for guns or mass shootings, then auto manufacturers should be held responsible every time a multiple car accident occurs with fatalities when the driver was operating the vehicle like those seen in their commercials.

The phones. Put down the phones!

being a challenger owner it is down the drivers mostly...

I blame people driving faster. I drive for Dominos, and we have a “drive monitor” app he have to use. It monitors speed, acceleration, corners and braking. It’s touchy as heck. But I drive slow and have a 99% good score (average) for over 2 weeks. Braking and corners got me in trouble before mostly, but I just learned to go 5 below the speed on average. Helps a lot. You won’t believe how many people speed past me, even crossing double lanes to do so!!! I got dinged a few points for speeding 37 in a 35 zone…..but I was laughing my head off because after 1 guy passed my little ford focus with his massive SUV a cop saw him cross the double highway line and lit him up!!!!

Why is there such a double standard in accountability between cars and commercial aviation? One door blows off a 737 and everything grinds to a halt, yet 40,000 perish every year on the roads and not much changes. Could you imagine 4 737's dropping from the sky every week? That's what happens on our roads.

I wonder how many of the driver death cases have used seatbelts?

No other car tops out the "other driver mortality" rate than the Electric Vehicle. Its batteries alone weigh sometimes more than a whole compact car. Just food for thought.

So many people that believe they own the road and cause the accidents. They think it is a newer car so the safety features will save them and don't care what damage they do, not realizing they are getting hurt or causing others to get hurt. Too many ignoring the responsibility that a 4000-8000 lb vehicle can kill other people. This is one area where despite my demand for freedom, it still needs higher requirements to get a license, and retesting every 10 years, and stronger penalties for driving without a license or other severe accident causing actions.

"It's not that the vehicles are getting worse, the environment is getting worse." (at 3:54 in the video) And the driving environment is only continuing to get worse. NA needs viable alternatives to driving!

Thank you.

Are these people even in the same room together?

Simple. Play silly games. Win silly prizes.

If insurers can charge more due to statistics then the manufacturer should discontinue and refund those on the road;)

A NISSAN GOT A ZERO?? SOMETHING IS WRONG

Large SUVs driven by soccer/football moms who apparently talk on the phone constantly

People should start setting new legal precedence in lawsuits to the Manufacturers and even Advertisers that promote driving fast and reckless. Yup

So, basically what we've known for a long time. Small cars and muscle cars are have a higher death rate. Not shocked.

It’s interesting but not very accurate like I’ve looked at the Australian data and the older model 09-17 xc60 did really well second safest in it class and 3rd overall according to Monash units research which gathers real world crash data but iihs rated that model as quite a high death rate. obviously death rate to personal injury risk is different fundamentally but it should have some correlation it’s still good to see the newer xc60 doing well thought.

Why oh why don’t IIHS test rear impact accidents? That is the weakest area of the vehicle and everyone puts their children to their children in the back seat.

Loophole: So, I'll drive a fiat 500, because they don't sell enough of them to be caught up in this testing! 😀

don't text and drive please.

“It’s not that vehicles are getting worse”😂 . Yeah, even crappy cars have like 300hp now. Cars have gotten insanely powerful. When a Tesla can outrun a formula 1 car in the quarter mile..things might be a little out of control 😅.

Do you think simple Jackassery might be a contributing factor in some of these performance car deaths? Is that what you mean by environment? Could an intellectual deficiency such as lack of impulse control among this demographic be manifested as excessive deaths? The answer should be obvious.

Hearing 'its not that the cars are getting worse, it's the environment "..... We're the environment

The deadliest cars are the biggest ones obviously. They kill the most people, just for the safety of their own driver.

I would live to see exoric ,hih end cars crashed tests lke everyday cars . I love to see ,Ferraries , Lamborghini, Porsches ,McLaren ,Rolls Royce ,Bentley, Maybach and onther luxury exitic cars costing hundreds of thousands of dollars all crash tested just like mass produced cars we all can afford .

"Environment" is getting worse. That is people are getting worse

Easy. Brilliance BS-6. The driver is the whole crumple zone. It isn’t genius, it’s Brilliance.

Dodge Challenger 2016 model year - thumbnail

f=ma

all cars are deadly.. its the nut holding the wheel that needs educating

Wich car? Any car, it depends on how they are operated. cars dont decide to crash or to be speedy

I know it's not an easy thing to metric, but the AHF (a**hole factor) is really important -- certain dangerous, irresponsible types of drivers are attracted to certain dangerous, irresponsible types of cars. And some of these figures seem to support what we all have witnessed plenty.

The most dangerous 'cars' are those big SUVs/crossovers and trucks considering their dimensions, weights, bumper height, and visibility, which has more blindspots than a regular car despite having a better forward visibility thanks to their higher ride height.

I think a lot that is not mentioned is also driver distraction. I drove around for a living, not a trucker but I can easily drive 100 miles each day to different places. One common thing I see, people too busy on their phones, literally holding and doing things with their phones while doing 80 mph. Add to that drivers that are not as car knowledgeable as in the past. They barely get a license ride shared until they couldn’t anymore and now just don’t really know how to drive.

I would LOVE to see crash tests with older cars depending on their geographical location. For example, I want to see a crash test with RUST BELT VEHICLE vs SOUTHERN VEHICLE of the same model, make, and year. For those of us living in the rust belt area can’t keep our cars in the long run compared to those in southern regions.

A family of 9 was killed by a guy driving a Dodge challenger at 120+ who blew through a red light and hit the minivan with the 9 people onboard. 2 adults and 6 children were killed instantly by the driver of the dodge.

Compared to Europe I don't think the superminis are too small, but in fact, their other cars are too big.

In my opinion, part of what is referred to as "environment" has to include driver mentality. In my 55+ years of driving there is one significant factor I can report that has a lot to do with the increased death rate as it relates to on the road vehicles, but this is not just about vehicles, this is about life in general in this country - a vast increase in lawlessness, a marked disrespect for laws coupled with a huge increase in "DWD", Driving While Distracted. Also, certainly the purchase of a particular type of vehicle is an attraction for a particular type of driver. Public streets are no place to try to show your machismo, the consequences of which are all too often deadly. Drivers' licenses are handed out like candy, with many driving vehicles for which they have no appropriate skill level. Just about every time I drive, I see acts of senseless aggression and stupidity that defy common sense. It has become so common that if police were to pull people over every time they see it, they'd never finish their shifts! There is not only a distinct lack of respect for the lives of others, but a lack of even a sense of self-preservation! I enjoy performance as much as anyone, I took a racing class a few years ago. I own several performance-oriented cars. The class showed me what performance vehicles - and my skill level - are capable of in a controlled environment, NOT on a public street. I got it out of my system, I have nothing to prove driving on a public street. For those who feel the need for speed, I suggest signing up for a race class, you will enjoy it and you and everyone else will be a lot safer.

I feel like the increase in deaths in recent years is that there is _no visibility_ when driving in traffic anymore. In the past, most people drove cars of a normal height _without_ tinted windows. Now it's a rat race to see who can make the tallest box on four wheels and who can make the darkest windows. On the rare occasion that I find myself driving behind a vehicle that's 20+ years old, it's so refreshing to be able to look _through_ the car's windows at what lies ahead. Then I can see what's coming up instead of just having to blindly rely on the reaction of the driver I'm following (and then add my reaction time onto that). And not only can I see what's going on in the distance when behind a rational car, I can also see what _that_ driver is doing inside their car to tell if they are paying attention or about to do something stupid. I really wish they'd pass some visibility laws where windows can't be over a certain height and can't be tinted. I know Americans like big vehicles, but you can do big without being a jerkoff. My car is a 5,000-pound sedan. It has huge, un-tinted windows, that are low enough to see through. It's not hard to make a vehicle that is big _and_ safe to those around you.

Honestly the way people drive in the trucks and SUVs they own are the reason why I’m so afraid of highway driving. I’m tempted to start driving with a helmet and elbow/knee pads

You guys should be addressing the MASSIVE problem with excessive weight and size of vehicles. They might be slightly safer to the occupants but a liability to literally everyone else on the road or the sidewalk.

Distraction I think is the biggest issue. We have so many people on our roads not paying attention at all, and probably shouldn't even have received a license. I watched someone back into a parking spot, EIGHT TIMES, and it was still crooked. This was last week. Also good to note, that parking space was a normal size, with cars parked fine on either side. Plenty of space.

When you mix high performance cars with low performance drivers you have a deadly combination.

I'd like to see the rate of deaths of vulnerable road users per each vehicle. It doesn't matter how well a vehicle protects its occupants if it has a high rate of pedestrian and cyclist fatalities.

Could driver skill be another factor? I believe drivers aren't as engaged as they were years ago.

Driving in Indianapolis last week on I 465 tells me 100% that people are driving with impunity and that they don't care about speed limits. I had several people pass me going 90 and 100 when I was doing 70 and people just don't give a damn anymore and there are not enough cops to enforce laws. Anybody who watches any of these dash cam channels knows that. I would like to see the IIHS really put some emphasis into horns on small cars because nobody listens to your horn unless it's really really loud and deep, like a train or truck horn. Many people have their music blasting and they don't hear anything but they will hear a truck horn. I think that could be a very, very good way of at least warning somebody that you're there.

I think they should start getting more serious on rear ended crashes. My mom has a Dodge Journey and sometimes my 7 year old nephew likes to sit in the third row. It would be interesting to see the results of a car going 60MPH rear end an SUV with third row passengers.

While momentum (weight x speed) is very indicative on which vehicle will fare best, a bigger issue I believe is the disparity in height of the various vehicles. Each vehicle is designed with crumple zones to protect the occupants, but the crumple zones on a RAM truck are well above those on a Mitsubishi Mirage for instance. The RAM's crumple zone will impact the Mirages windshield rendering any protection defunct. I believe measure should be taken to force manufacturers of these oversized/high vehicles to be designed with crumple zones in line with smaller passenger cars.

Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video in addition to the underlying analysis. It really helps get the message out, and the message is really important as we have all lost too many friends and family in auto accidents. I really worry about this trend in the USA. What is the end state? Everyone drives a tank?

Im absolutely stunned the pathfinder has a death rate of 0 lol

Great explanations by Mr. Farmer. I really like how he explains things and the fact that you can tell by hearing him speak that he is a person with a lot of knowledge.

Utter lack of enforcement beginning in 2020 emboldens the scofflaws for sure.

Nissan Altimas are freaking death traps 🫣

One very important factor to consider is how many cars were actually sold. Perhaps the BMW X3, Mercedes D Class sedan, and Lexus ES 350 have a death rate of 0 because not many people can afford those? Also, the fact that there are way more drivers on the roads each year, increases the possibility of car accident fatalities. And finally, people are getting dumber and dumber on the road each year.

I'd be interested to know how many of these fatality vehicles were stolen and/or being involved in illegal activity at the time of their fatal crashes. Some of these cars are much bigger theft targets than others.

The biggest increase in deaths can very easily be pointed at distraced driving... Giant and confusing tablets glued to the dash don't help. Also, not every state requiring or enforcing hands free laws seems like such an oversight.

I got a Honda Fit. I like it a lot but it will definitely be the smallest car I ever own. Upsizing from here on out. My insurance is incredibly high compared to if I got something bigger. They told me Im more likely to wreck. I am scared to hit a Camry or tree let alone a body on frame truck or SUV. I love the 38 mpg, the handling, the space and its ornage color with the trim level and it being a face lifted model helps. I actually like not feeling the gears and it being a CVT. The size makes it sooooo easy to park. Like its so agile and flexible. But definitely dangerous. Also saw a Toyota Corolla rear end a GMC Yukon. The Yukon was fine. Would need a new bumper however. Maybe whiplash. The Corolla was just obliterated. Small cars just aint safe. There is a place for them but their size is dangerous even hitting a stationary object is something I wouldnt test.

The problem is not the muscle cars themselves, it's the mindset of a lot of the folks driving them...racing in and out of interstate traffic at 120mph with zero regards for anyone else's safety....

If we in North America stopped driving around unneccesarily large vehicles the death rate would go down. The vast majority of these gigantic SUV's (In some cases which have become even longer than a bloody tank.) are not fit for purpose. Nobody truly NEEDS these gigantic bowling ball vehicles. The vast majority of the owners of such vehicles don't use them 99% of the time to their capacity. People should stop wasting money on using a gigantic f250 as a soccer mom minivan, people should reconsider if they really need a 2000ft long SUV when they're the only driver 90% of the time.

There was a time not so long ago that 3,500 lbs was a _very big_ car. Like, full-size sedan. Now, that's small.

Thank you for providing your data, which has been instrumental in helping many people. It's noteworthy that while the Mitsubishi Outlander was listed as the safest small SUV, it's also one of the worst on the list. The reported death numbers are 7, 43, 55, and 67, with variations attributed to factors such as 2WD, 4WD, and Sport models. It seems logical to expect consistent crash test results regardless of the vehicle's specifications. However, it's important to acknowledge that real-world data is influenced by drivers' behavior, with 4WD typically performing better on snow compared to 2WD. (Report dated May 28, 2020) While such data assists in making informed decisions, the challenge lies in determining whether a particular vehicle is indeed the safest or the least safe option. Moreover, conventional crash test speeds often do not accurately reflect real-world scenarios. Is it feasible to analyze real-world crash data based on specific vehicle models? Perhaps instead of merely listing driver death numbers per million registered vehicles, a more informative metric could be driver death numbers per million crashes or per 1000 crashes of this specific model. Emphasizing a vehicle's safety features can guide consumers in making informed choices. For instance, while a Mustang may be deemed one of the safest cars, its higher death rate could be attributed to the frequency of crashes due to certain drivers' behaviors. However, if the safest driver prefers a Mustang, they could still purchase it, as long as the car itself is safe. Another potential solution could be increasing the car crash test speed to the maximum legal speed limit. Under the current test speed, almost all cars on the market appear very safe. Once again, I appreciate your insightful analysis, which underscores the importance of both vehicle safety and responsible driving behavior.

Why don't we just copy Germany. Slow surface streets and unrestricted freeways as much as possible. (along with a major driving skill reform) Getting political and egoey about who drives what just makes this whole thing worse. Obviously motor vehicles don't belong in certain areas either. Again urbanists vs. freedom of automotive purchase choices people battles will not help anything. How can you not see something so big and loud anyways? But exclaiming on the Autobahn in America part, you should be able to legally "cannonball" to the neighboring state or even coast to coast since our country is so big, trains/busses are trashy, and flying is so cumbersome.

You know here are Americans speaking if the mitsubishi mirage is called "a mini car as small as it can get". Out of an European perspective that's a normal sized compact car. Half of the car's driven here are not bigger than it.

I’m sorry but European cars are built stronger, I’d take a chance with a Volvo at a high impact speed which isn’t tested, Nissan make terrible quality cars. Id be curious to hear more about this

Large vehicles have always been on the road, but in the past the heavier vehicles were often driven by professional drivers. Drivers who wouldn't want to risk their license and had some level of training. But now you can drive a 6k-7k lb. truck and have zero experience handling the extra weight/height/size. A 100 lb. woman in a Hummer EV playing with her phone could kill a lot of people in normal sized cars and she would be fine. Not saying professionals don't get distracted or do stupid things, but generally they are safer. When I drive my smaller cars, I try to stay away from higher speed, dense traffic because I know the odds of those people in their huge pickup trucks and SUV's focusing on driving courteously is in the 1-10% range. Even then I know I can't prevent everything. I've seen idiots in pickups try to race me while I'm in my sports car, even though I am going the speed limit or a few over and not driving aggressively. These people that are out there that are on mind altering drugs or medications, or are just not mentally stable unfortunately are often the ones that buy the biggest vehicles so they can lord over others. I think the manufacturers should take some responsibility. Nobody was ever asking for bigger trucks. There might have been a small percentage asking for higher tow capacity, but the manufacturers could have made those vehicles shorter and/or differently in order for them to be safer. Just look at the bumper/height mismatch of a new truck versus a new car. It's insanity.

I keep getting sad when there's 0 data on a lot of cars that aren't exotics or something really rare. What's the death rate/crash performance of the Lincoln Navigator/Ford Expedition? Toyota Sequoia? Mercedes GLS? Tesla Model X? Porsche Cayenne? It's all a big "I don't know"

Weight has nothing to do with safety, F1 cars are light, have you seen them crash?

Very glad other driver death rates are being studied and factored. Would love to see pedestrian death rates in the next round.

The deadliest?, the ones you crash.. I get it but I'd remember I had driven deathtraps that I made sure I would get into a major crash into..

Great information Thank you guys My favorite part was it was right to point and no annoying background music to try to listen to over you guys talking.

Even "small" cars can be pretty heavy too, my 2021 Kia Soul S is just over 4,000 pounds. I'm not sure how such a relatively "small" car weighs so much, but at least I have a better chance against a suburban or something

Do they take in account age or miles driven per year?

Great and important work!

If a vehicle causes too many deaths, it should never get a Iihs recommended rating

Let's not forget that cars like the Smart car proved that a small vehicle can protect its passengers because they were built to do so. Many modern small cars skimp on passenger safety to reduce cost.

Is driver deaths due to semi trucks evaluated?

Would love to see if other driver death rates included motorcycles as well as to see pedestrian and cyclist death rates from each vehicle.

"It's not that the vehicles are getting worse, it's that the environment is getting worse." I really wish you would elaborate on that statement. Larger vehicles are killing and harming more people, and you're saying that isn't the main cause? Why? How? What data is showing that the environment vehicles are in is causing more deaths, and not the proliferation of larger less safe vehicles?

interesting that the RAM is the lowest selling HD pickup out of the big 3, yet it's #1 killer on the road. The Ford/Chevy guys are gonna have a field day with this one

How do vehicles perform that are heavy but not necessarily large vehicles? For example EVs are heavy but not necessarily large.

I moved from an area where the aggressive drivers were mostly in Audis and large pickups, but here every third car is one of the muscle cars mentioned. I’ve considered getting one myself because they have good safety ratings. But it sounds like they are death traps as expected. I think death rates are far more influenced by the types of drivers in such models than the vehicles themselves.