Small cars, SUVs top driver-death rates in crashes: IIHS

In a new “Status Report” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), small cars and small to mid-size SUVs ranked as the worst in terms of driver death rates in crashes. The two-door, two-wheel-drive Chevrolet Blazer tops the list with 308 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years. This compares with an average for all 1999-2002 passenger vehicle models of 87 deaths per million.The Blazer also had the highest rollover death rate at 251 per million, and its four-door version also made the “worst” list for driver death rates.Other vehicles topping the “worst” list include the two-door Mitsubishi Mirage, Pontiac Firebird, four-door Kia Rio and Sportage, two-door Ford Explorer, Chevy Camaro, Mazda B series and Chevy S10 pickups, Chevy Tracker, and the two and four-door Chevy Cavaliers.Topping the “best” list for lowest rates of driver death are the Mercedes E class, Toyota 4Runner, Volkswagen Passat, Lexus RX300, Toyota RAV4 and Honda Odyssey.The IIHS notes that smaller, two-door models have higher death rates at 190 per million. However mid-size sports cars had a higher rate than for small or mini sports cars, at 133.Large luxury cars had the best results, with a driver death rate of 37 per million vehicle years. Large minivans and station wagons also performed well.