What are the Most Dangerous Vehicles on the Roads?

From unsafe tires to faulty gas pedals, vehicle defects result in millions of recalls each and every year. While widespread issues like the Takata airbag recall make national headlines, many other dangerous vehicle defects fly under the radar.

However, even more concerning is the fact that many cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs are widely known to be dangerous, yet their manufacturers continue to roll shiny new vehicles off the assembly line and onto showroom floors. Many of these dangerous models are never recalled. In this article, we take a look at some of the most dangerous vehicles on the road today.

The Most Dangerous Vehicles According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) maintains a database of the most dangerous vehicles, as determined by the overall death rate per million registered vehicle years. IIHS also keeps statistics specifically relating to vehicle rollovers. These are five of the most dangerous vehicles on the road today, according to IIHS:

• 2008-2011 Kia Rio (overall death rate: 149)
• 2008-2011 Nissan Versa sedan (overall death rate: 130)
• 2008-2011 Hyundai Accent (overall death rate: 120)
• 2008-2011 Chevrolet Aveo (overall death rate: 99)
• Honda Civic coupe (overall death rate: 76)

Overall, SUVs tended to have the highest rollover rates, though several cars (including the Nissan Versa sedan listed above) scored poorly as well.

Keep in mind, this only pertains to vehicles through model year 2011 (the latest year included in IIHS’s database). While manufacturers are touting many new safety features on later-model vehicles, it largely remains to be seen the extent these features are protecting drivers and their passengers.

IIHS’s Safest Vehicle Models

In general, IIHS’s data suggest that larger vehicles tend to be safer. For example, the Kia Sorento 2WD, Subaru Legacy 4WD, Toyota Highlander hybrid 4WD, and Toyota Sequoia 4WD all had an overall death rate of zero. Several other sedans, minivans, and SUVs had very low rates as well.

Seeking Compensation for Vehicle-Related Injuries

If you have been injured in an accident and some or all of your injuries are attributable to safety issues with your vehicle, you may be entitled to compensation from your vehicle’s manufacturer. These types of claims can be challenging, but pursuing them can often be essential to obtaining full compensation for accident victims’ medical bills, pain and suffering and other losses. At Morrow & Sheppard LLP, we are experienced in pursuing dangerous product claims against vehicle manufacturers. To learn more about what we can do to help, we invite you to schedule a free consultation.

Have You Been Injured in a Car Accident in the Houston Area? Speak with a Lawyer Today

As Houston car accident lawyers, we regularly represent clients who have suffered catastrophic injuries in vehicle collisions throughout Texas. If you or a loved one has been seriously hurt in an accident, we want to help you hold the responsible parties accountable for your losses. Your initial consultation is completely free, and if you hire us, you don’t pay anything unless we win your case. Contact us today to find out if you may be entitled to financial compensation.