IIHS Study Finds Small Cars Most Dangerous for Drivers, Large SUVs Most Risky for Others

A recent report by the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) analyzed crash data from 2020 to 2024 and found that small cars and sports cars have the highest driver fatality rates, while large trucks and SUVs pose the greatest danger to other drivers. The study compared models like the Kia Sorento SUV and the Kia Forte family car, revealing that even the safest small cars fare poorly in collisions with heavy trucks and off-road vehicles. David Harkey, IIHS president, emphasized that vehicle size, engine power, and driver behavior significantly influence fatality risks.

The report showed that among all vehicles, the Kia Rio had the highest driver death rate at 170 deaths per million registered vehicles, while the Ram 3500 crew cab truck had the highest fatality rate for other drivers at 204 deaths per million. Most of the top 20 vehicles with the highest driver death rates were small or sports cars, whereas 18 of the 20 models with the lowest driver death rates were SUVs, including luxury models like BMW X5 and X7, Porsche Cayenne, and Volvo XC60 and XC90.

IIHS also noted that driver behavior plays a crucial role, with sports cars attracting more aggressive drivers and larger vehicles often driven by older individuals with higher fatality risks. The study highlighted that large electric pickups and heavy plug-in hybrids, increasingly popular in Israel, could exacerbate dangers on the road due to their weight and size.

While the IIHS conducts stringent crash tests, real-world fatality data provide a clearer picture of risks across vehicle types. The report also pointed out the lack of comparable detailed crash data in Israel, complicating local risk assessments. The growing presence of heavy electric SUVs and pickups in Israel, such as the BYD Atto 3 and JAC models weighing nearly twice as much as small cars, raises concerns about road safety dynamics in the country.

In summary, the IIHS study underscores that small cars are most dangerous for their own drivers, large trucks and SUVs are most lethal to others, and driver behavior combined with vehicle size and power critically affects fatality outcomes.