Small Cars Can Come With Big Risks

October 30, 2017
Jonathan J. Russell

 

 

When Purchasing a Car, Safety Should Be A Priority.

As Personal Injury Attorneys, at Drake, Hileman & Davis, we often see the difference the size a vehicle makes in how seriously someone is injured in an accident.  Frequently, consumers look at price, style, fuel economy and color when making a car selection, when they really should be looking at vehicle safety.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (“IIHS“) found that some of the smallest cars have the highest death rates during car accidents.  Chuck Farmer, President of IIHS, has stated, “If you hit something bigger than you, you are more likely to die . . .   Physics matter. The bigger the vehicle, the safer you are in an accident.”  Specifically, an IIHS’ study found that the Hyundai Accent had the most accident deaths (104), between 2012 to 2015, out of the 208 models of cars that were analyzed. Other small cars, such as the Kia Rio, Scion tC, Chevrolet Spark, and Nissan Versa also ranked very high for deadly car accidents.[1]

Hyundai defended its Accent, saying, “The Hyundai Accent meets or exceeds all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards set by the U.S. government and performs well in various safety tests and is rated a 4-star overall by NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).” [2]

Bigger is Actually Better

 While meeting certain safety standards is a minimum, there is no question that larger cars perform much better than smaller vehicles,  in automobile accidents. Cars like the Jeep Cherokee, Mazda CX-9, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Lexus CT 200h, Audi A6, and BMW 535 did not have any fatal crashes at all during the three year period 2012- 2015. Unfortunately, all of these larger (and safer) vehicles are much more expensive than the smaller Kia Rio and the Hyundai Accent.[3]

It should be noted that the 2012 and newer models performed better in crashes, and while new technology will likely continue to make these small cars safer, larger cars are still more crash-worthy and will likely remain safer well into the future.[4]

Have You Been In A Car Accident? We Can Help.  

Whether you have been injured driving a large or small car, the personal injury lawyers of Drake Hileman & Davis are here to help you.  We’ve been helping those injured in car accidents for 30 years and have a track record of results and satisfied clients to prove it. We are ready to help put our resources, knowledge and understanding of the law to work for you.  Contact us on-line or call us at 1-888-777-7098 to schedule your free consultation in the convenience of your home or at one of our five offices located throughout the region.  Let us begin working for you.

 

[1] http://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/24/smallest-vehicles-rank-among-the-deadliest-for-drivers.html

[2] http://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/24/smallest-vehicles-rank-among-the-deadliest-for-drivers.html

[3] http://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/24/smallest-vehicles-rank-among-the-deadliest-for-drivers.html

[4] http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/study-small-cars-are-more-dangerous-on-the-road