What Are the Deadliest Cars on the Road?
Wow, that’s a dire headline, right? But, knowing which cars more people die in may help you make a decision on your next car. Trucks are more deadly, and compact cars are more deadly than large sedans. That should not be much of a surprise. But which cars were most likely to see a fatal crash?
Trucks are far more deadly than cars
According to a new report quoted in the St. Louis Dispatch, the Ford F-Series trucks are the vehicle most likely to be involved in a fatal crash from 2014 to 2018. However, Ford sold almost 3.5 million F-Series trucks in that time period and many older F-150s are still on the road. So, the percentage of fatalities is far lower than the shocking No. 1 rating may suggest.
Also, the data compiled from a variety sources shows that these vehicles don’t just kill their own occupants, but those of other vehicles and pedestrians, too. However, the data isn’t broken down in a way that explains that. Also, every car on this list now has some extra safety measures designed to keep drivers, and pedestrians, safer.
No. 1 Honda Accord
The Honda Accord seems to be a victim of its own success. Honda sells truckloads of Accords, about a million between 2014 and 2018. So, while there were 5,079 deaths due to Honda Accord crashes, again the percentage is quite low. Since 2018, the Honda Accord has added several safety features. For 2023, the Accord comes standard with Honda Sensing, which means automated emergency braking, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control are all standard.
The 2022 Honda Accord is the latest Accord to be rated from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. It earned five stars.
No. 2 Toyota Camry
Crashes involving the Toyota Camry show 4,734 deaths from 2014 to 2018. Like the Accord, the Camry is a super popular car, and Toyota sold nearly a million Camrys during that time period. For 2023, the Camry also has a suite of driver’s assistance features to keep everyone safe. For 2023, the Camry’s driver assistance package is standard, and that means forward collision warning with automated emergency braking, lane departure warning and lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise are come with any 2023 Camry.
It has a five-star crash rating from the NHTSA. In 2022, it was ranked one of the safest cars.
No. 3 Honda Civic
Are you sensing a pattern here? The Honda sells on average about 200,000 Civics annually, so it, too, is on the top of the list. Interestingly, most fatal accidents involving the Civic were in California and Vermont. Regardless, Honda completely redesigned the Civic since the data was last compiled and the new car, too, has several advanced safety features. The 2023 Honda Civic has standard automated emergency braking, standard lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control.
It has a five-star crash rating from the NHTSA. It made the IIHS’s list of safest cars in 2022.
No. 4. Nissan Altima
The Nissan Altima competes squarely with the Accord and Camry and it, too, is a popular choice. While there were 3,267 fatal crashes in the Altima, it, too, was on par with Camry sales. For 2023, the Nissan saw a small redesign with a new face and LED lights, but that new face was designed to hide the sensors for the standard driver’s aids. It, too, gets standard lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control, but unlike the others it only has standard rear automated emergency braking.
The Altima also earns five stars from the NHTSA, but other safety ratings are a mixed bag.
