What do you look for in a vehicle? Is safety one of your top considerations? The Institute for Highway Safety recently released its list of the deadliest and safest vehicles on the road and some may surprise you. Is your vehicle on the list of deadliest or safest vehicles?

According to a report by the Kansas City Star, auto-related fatalities are on the rise in Missouri and climbing faster than the national average. So, the type of vehicle you drive could have an impact on your risk of injury in an accident.

Deadliest vehicles in America

Unfortunately, many smaller vehicles that are great on gas are more vulnerable to the risk of a deadly accident. Small vehicles have less structure to absorb the impact of a crash, particularly hatchbacks. In fact, five of the top 10 deadliest vehicles were hatchbacks. Let’s take a look at the top five:

  • #5: Nissan Versa 95 fatalities per million registered vehicles
  • #4: Chevrolet Spark 96 fatalities per million registered vehicles
  • #3: Scion tC 101 fatalities per million registered vehicles
  • #2: Kia Rio 102 fatalities per million registered vehicles
  • #1: Hyundai Accent 104 fatalities per million registered vehicles

Safest vehicles in America

The vehicles that ranked safest, according to the Institute for Highway Safety, were primarily luxury sedans and SUVs. This list includes several models of BMWs, Mercedes, Lexus, and Audi. However, the Ford Explorer 4WD, Jeep Cherokee 4WD, and Mazda CX-9 also made this list.

Whether your vehicle made the deadliest or the safest vehicles list, you are still at risk for injury every time you get behind the wheel. Sometimes, injuries can be prevented, but other times you may be involved in an accident due to another driver’s negligence. These accidents happen without warning and can result in physical injuries and even economic hardships.

Measures to take if you are involved in an accident

If you are involved in an automobile accident, first check to see if you and any passengers are okay and seek medical attention if needed. Report the accident to the police and once the scene is safe, take photos of the accident and any damage. And always make sure and gather insurance information from the other party.

You should also get the advice of an experienced attorney. One of our personal injury lawyers can help you negotiate with the insurance company for the best possible results. If you have any questions at all please call us today at (816) 221-6400. It matters to us what happens to you.