iSeeCars has an fascinating analysis of vehicle fatality rates (using the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting structure and then adjusted by miles traveled using iSeeCar’s own data) that reaches some fascinating (and, admittedly, grisly) conclusions. On one hand, the list confirms some basic vehicle safety concepts, like that the physics of a multi-vehicle crash favor the larger vehicles, and so forth. tiny vehicles (physics), sports cars (uncertainty-taking behavior) and some mainstream vehicles (perhaps just the sheer amount of them on the road?) tend to have the highest fatality rates. On the other hand, the brand with the highest number of fatal crashes per mile might shock you.

It’s an American automaker, a relative newcomer, exclusively builds EVs and has arguably the most controversial (and richest) CEO in vehicular history. Yes, it’s Tesla. iSeeCars pegs the Tesla fatality rate at 5.6 accidents per billion vehicle miles traveled. This does not factor in any information about non-fatal crashes; it only includes FARS data in which at least one occupant died in the crash.

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Kia comes in at a close second, at 5.5 fatalities per billion miles, with Buick (4.8), Dodge (4.4) and Hyundai (3.9) rounding out the list. The average rate for all brands is 2.8, to put that in perspective. iSeeCars speculates that the biggest contributor to the fatality rates at a brand level is driver behavior, rather than vehicle design or size. “A concentrated, alert driver, traveling at a legal or prudent speed, without being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, is the most likely to arrive safely regardless of the vehicle they’re driving,” said Karl Brauer, iSeeCars Executive Analyst, in the update.

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Looking over the data of most risky cars, there are some broader trends. tiny SUVs and subcompact cars fare badly, in general, with the Hyundai Venue topping the list at 13.9 fatalities per billion vehicle miles. But there are also some mainstream vehicles in the next size class up, like the Toyota Corolla Hybrid and the Honda CR-V Hybrid, which have rates at 2.6 and 4.6 times the national average, respectively. What explains these vehicles — not particularly tiny, not particularly prone to rolling over, and not the selection for adrenaline junkies with lackluster selection making skills — ranking on this list? It’s challenging to declare. As iSeeCars correctly points out, most of these vehicles have robust safety equipment and perform well in crash tests, so it’s not the fault of the cars themselves.

In the truck category, medium-size vehicles like the Nissan Frontier, Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado, Toyota Tacoma and Jeep Gladiator flooded the zone, making up the top five in that order. No packed-size trucks made it onto the list. At least for pickups, size matters.

It’s worth noting that the iSeeCars update analyzed vehicles crashes between 2017 and 2022, and from model years 2018 to 2022. Vehicles that are out of production currently were excluded, as were low-volume vehicles. 

And if you’re looking for the safest vehicles you can buy today, we have some recommendations for you below:

• What are the safest cars for 2024? Top-rated sedans and hatchbacks across the economy
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• Safest trucks for 2024: Rivian, Ridgeline, Ram rank respectably

Photos by MotorTrend staff