IIHS report finds declining average number of driver deaths

In a recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) study examining the rates of driver deaths in collisions, Chevrolet models hold both the top spot for highest and lowest death rates.The lowest death rate among more than 200 vehicles is the Astro minivans 7 per million registered vehicle years (two vehicles registered for 12 months each yield two vehicle years), according to the IIHS report. The highest is 232 per million in the 2-door, 2-wheel-drive version of the Chevrolet Blazer, a midsize SUV. As high as death rates are in some models, the average rate for all vehicles is going down over time, researchers reported.The average driver death rate in 1989-93 models during 1990-94 was 110 per million registered vehicle years, when the IIHS computed the rates for 1999-2002, this number dropped to 87 per million, and todays average sits at 79 per million.This is a big improvement over time, Anne McCartt, IIHS senior vice president of research, wrote. The rates have gone down about 30% since the mid-1990s.Rounding out the top five for lowest rates of death are the: Infiniti G35; BMW 7 series; Toyota 4Runner; and the Audi A4/S4 Quattro.Rounding out the top five models with the worst average rate of driver deaths are the: Acura RSX; Nissan 350Z; Kia Spectra hatchback; and the Pontiac Sunfire.