An analysis of car accident severity in the US by brand from automotive search engine iSeeCars has revealed Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) has the worst track record of all cars, notching the highest fatal accident rate at 5.6 incidents per billion vehicle miles.
While Tesla was the worst brand overall, its Model Y only came in at 6th in terms of most frequent occupant fatalities, with its 10.6 ratio outdone by Hyundai’s Venue (13.9), Chevrolet’s Corvette (13.6), Mitsubishi’s Mirage (13.6), Porsche’s 911 (13.2) and Honda’s CR-V Hybrid (13.2).
Each of the above models had an occupant fatality rate of at least 3.7x the overall average, although the study implies the models themselves are not to blame, but rather driver behaviour.
Are car fatalities on the rise?
“New cars are safer than they’ve ever been,” said iSeeCars executive analyst Karl Brauer.
“Between advanced chassis design, driver assist technology and an array of airbags surrounding the driver, today’s car models provide excellent occupant protection.
“But these safety features are being countered by distracted driving and higher rates of speed, leading to rising accident and death rates in recent years.”
While vehicle safety features have made great strides in recent years, road fatalities in Australia are on the rise, growing by 7.3 per cent to 1,266 in 2023, and the rate per capita is also increasing, up to 4.8 per 100,000 Australians compared to 4.6 in 2022.
“Most of these vehicles received excellent safety ratings, performing well in crash tests at the IIHS and NHTSA, so it’s not a vehicle design issue,” said Brauer.
“The models on this list likely reflect a combination of driver behaviour and driving conditions, leading to increased crashes and fatalities.”
Unsurprisingly, smaller cars have higher fatal crash rates, coming in above the average of 2.8 per billion vehicle miles at 3.6.
“It’s difficult to overcome physics, even with high-strength steel and airbags,” said Brauer.
“When two small cars collide, the forces are equalized and both vehicles tend to hold up well. But if a compact hatchback and a full-size pickup truck try to occupy the same space at the same time, the smaller car always loses.”
Car sales data for 2023 reveals all top 10 selling cars over the year were SUVs or light commercial vehicles. Passenger cards made up less than a fifth of sales.
With the number of oversized trucks on Australian roads only growing, road fatalities are unfortunately likely to follow the same trend.