If you are considering buying a new or used vehicle in Maryland, be aware that some vehicles are more prone to accidents than others. Take this information into consideration when making a purchase.
SUVs and pickup accidents
Generally, drivers of SUVs and pickups are proportionally in more accidents than passenger cars. Researchers looking at data from car accidents collected by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that drivers of SUVs were 200% more likely to be in a fatal pedestrian accident than cars. Drivers of vans and minivans were 300% more likely to be in this type of accident. While admitting that their research is preliminary, they also found that drivers of pickups were 400% more likely to be in an accident.
Most dangerous makes and models
In a similar study using data collected by the National Highway Safety Administration between 2016 and 2020, researchers created a list of the makes and models of vehicles involved in the most fatal crashes. They found that the most dangerous vehicle was the Chevrolet Silverado. Rounding out the top 20 were:
• Ford F-150
• Honda Accord
• Toyota Camry
• Dodge Ram
• Nissan Altima
• Toyota Corolla
• GMC Sierra
• Ford Explorer
• Ford F-250
• Chevrolet Impala
• Freightliner Cascadia
• Chevrolet Malibu
• Jeep Grand Cherokee
• Ford Focus
• Ford Ranger
• Chevrolet Tahoe
• Toyota Tacoma
• Ford Escape
• Ford Fusion
Why there are more large vehicle accidents
Researchers admit that they are unsure why there are more big vehicle accidents, but they have some theories. Some suggest that the way that the A-pillar’s design leads to more blind spots as they did not see this trend before the government raised standards for vehicle roofs to protect occupants in rollover accidents. Additionally, taller vehicles may have more blind spots because of their increased height. They also say that larger vehicles have become more popular with drivers.
Drivers of large vehicles, like SUVs and pickups, were in more fatal vehicle accidents, whether with a pedestrian or another vehicle. Researchers believe that the design of these vehicles may be at fault.
