The GMC Yukon and GMC Yukon XL are two extremely versatile huge SUVs. They’re favorites among those with large families or who regularly need an abundance of cargo space. If you’re shopping used, you may also get a great deal on one (though the current automotive climate is making that less likely than ever). Yet if you’re torn between these two SUVs, there’s one statistic you may not have thought of that can help you make a decision: driver death rates. This one important number may help you differentiate between the deadliest used SUVs out there.

The 2017 GMC Yukon is a used SUV with one of the deadliest rollover rates

The 2017 GMC Yukon has one of the deadliest rollover death rates for a used SUV. That’s 26 people per million registered vehicles. This data is from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) driver death rates. The GMC Yukon’s number is by far the highest on the list of large SUVs. The second spot for rollover accidents resulting in driver deaths goes to the 2WD 2017 Ford Expedition with 15 driver deaths per million registered vehicles.

In addition, the 2017 GMC Yukon 2WD has a high overall driver death rate. Its rate is 40 deaths per million registered vehicles, with confidence limits. This includes 40 single vehicle crash deaths as well. The 2017 GMC Yukon with 4WD fares a little bit better. It has an overall death rate of 27 people per million registered vehicles, including 14 multi-vehicle crash deaths, 14 single-vehicle crash deaths, and 13 rollover deaths.

The 2017 GMC Yukon XL has no deaths

The 2022 GMC Yukon Denali Is Obviously the Most Popular Choice

Looking at these rates and you might think that the 2017 GMC Yukon XL would fare roughly the same as its smaller sibling. However, this isn’t the case; it’s far from the deadliest SUV. The 2017 GMC Yukon has a rollover death rate of 0. This is in addition to an overall driver death rate of 0, a single-vehicle crash death rate of 0, and a multi-vehicle crash death rate of 0.

The 2017 GMC Yukon XL‘s stats are the best of any very large SUV. The next-best is the Chevy Suburban, with eight overall driver death rates. No very large 2017 SUVs rated by the IIHS have any rollover deaths recorded.

The IIHS looks at driver death rates only

The IIHS’ data doesn’t include passenger deaths. That’s because the number of passengers in each crash varies, and some crashes don’t involve any passengers. so it’s hard to say how passengers have fared in these crashes.

In addition, the IIHS doesn’t have data about new SUVs. It says it takes time to collect and analyze the data. In addition, death rates are usually made available nine months after the end of the calendar year. It takes the IIHS time to compile all of the data and produce meaningful results about the deadliest SUVs and cars.

The deadliest SUVs are those that you just might want to avoid. After all, when an SUV has a high death rate, it makes you wonder just how safe that SUV is. An while the IIHS doesn’t mention anything about the driver death rates being linked to how safe a vehicle is, it might make you pause before buying an SUV with a rollover death rate that’s much higher than any other SUV in its class.