New York readers may have heard that overall U.S. traffic fatalities have been on the rise in recent years. However, recent statistics from the Highway Loss Data Institute, or HLDI, indicate that drivers and passengers are more likely to be injured in certain vehicles than others.
HLDI statistics from 2014, 2015 and 2016 show that people riding in smaller, lighter vehicles are more likely to be injured or killed in a collision. Meanwhile, larger and heavier vehicles generally provide more protection for occupants. Therefore, it should come as little surprise that small cars have some of the highest injury claim frequency scores among all models. The worst offenders tend to be inexpensive cars that are frequently purchased for young drivers.
For example, the car with the worst rating for injury claims is the Mitsubishi Lancer. According to HLDI, 100 is the average score for all vehicles, but the Lancer has a score of 216, meaning it is 116 percent worse than average. The second-worst car for injury claims is the Toyota Yaris iA/Scion iA with a score of 189, meaning it is 89 percent worse than average. The Nissan Versa comes in third worst with a score of 187. The Kia Rio sedan and the Chevrolet Sonic round out the top 5 with scores of 185 and 175, respectively. Scores generally get better as the size of a vehicle increases, but that is not always the case. HLDI points out that some larger vehicles can have poor scores because more passengers fit into them, meaning more people can be injured in the event of an accident.
Victims of motor vehicle accidents may need to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover damages. An attorney may be able to evaluate a victim’s case and advise a course of legal action.
Source: Forbes, “The Cars And Trucks That Cause The Most Injuries In A Crash,” Jim Gorzelany, Jan. 3, 2018