Subcompacts and sports cars have the highest rate of fatal crashes around the country, according to a study from iSeeCars.com. Drivers in California should know that the study covers model year 2013-2017 vehicles. The data came from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
All vehicles on average saw a fatal crash rate of 2.6 cars per billion vehicle miles. By contrast, subcompacts and sports cars had a rate of 4.5 and 4.6, respectively, and in a list of 14 vehicles with a fatal crash rate twice that of the average, they were each represented by six vehicles.
At the bottom of the list with 5.2 cars per billion vehicles miles were the Hyundai Veloster Turbo and Nissan Versa Note. At the top were the subcompact Mitsubishi Mirage (10.2), Chevrolet Corvette (9.8) and Honda Fit (7.7). Three Kia vehicles were on the list as well as one Dodge and one Subaru vehicle.
A lack of active safety features is one of the things that characterize most subcompacts and sports cars. Though this may be partly to blame for the high fatal crash rates, some vehicles on the list, such as the Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet Camaro, are exceptions. Researchers found that many of the vehicles were highly rated by NHTSA or designated as IIHS Top Safety Picks.
Those who are injured through no fault of their own in motor vehicle crashes should at least be entitled to compensation for their medical bills, pain and suffering, vehicle repair costs and lost wages, and they may seek out this compensation by filing a personal injury claim. Auto insurance companies can be aggressive in denying payment, though, so victims may want a lawyer to represent them during negotiations.