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Safety is an important factor to weigh up when buying a new car. One way to measure the safety of a car is to look at how accident-prone it is. While figures vary from state to state, nationwide reports do show that certain makes are more likely to get into accidents. Is it the car? Or is it just the drivers? While that’s up for debate, here is a roundup of the top 5 most accident-prone and top 5 least accident-prone vehicles for your consideration. 

The most accident-prone car makes

1. Tesla

Recent studies and analyses of car accidents in the US have consistently found Tesla to be one of the most accident-prone vehicles with 24 accidents per 1000 vehicles. Teslas are also involved in more fatal car crashes than any other manufacturer with the Tesla Model Y being the 6th most deadly car model. What is the possible cause of this? The high acceleration of Teslas is one likely cause. However, it’s worth noting that there have also been quite a few cases of accidents occurring while Autopilot or Full Self Driving (FSD) is turned on. 

2. Ram

The popular truck brand Ram leads the road accident toll in several states and has the second highest overall accident rate in the country (23 accidents per 1000 vehicles). This is potentially due to the size of Ram trucks and the popularity compared to many other truck brands – Ram trucks are involved in a relatively low amount of fatal accidents, suggesting it could mainly be accidents at slow speed such as parking incidents. 

3. Subaru

Subaru is known for its relatively affordable but sporty car models, which do attract lots of young drivers. This may be part of the reason why Subaru is the third most accident prone manufacturer in the US (21 accidents per 1000 vehicles). However, like Ram, Subaru are not heavily associated with fatal accidents, suggesting that these accidents may not always be at high speed.

4. Chevrolet

Chevvies rank high in many lists of most accident-prone vehicles. Due to the extensive range of car models that Chevrolet sells, it’s hard to pinpoint a reason why this manufacturer is involved in so many accidents. The Chevrolet Corvette was found to have the second highest fatal accident rate (the Hyundai Venue ranks at the top) most likely due to being a high performance car. Chevrolet also sells a number of trucks, which may be more likely to be involved in parking incidents.

5. Dodge

Dodge regularly ranks highly in annual lists of most accident-prone vehicles. The brand is known for its high performance vehicles, potentially making these cars more prone to accidents in the wrong hands. There’s also an increased risk of hiring a car accident lawyer if you’re involved in an accident with a Dodge – the likes of the Dodge Avenger were found to have a 184% higher claim frequency than the average car. 

The least accident-prone car makes

1. Mercury

Several studies have identified Mercury as having the lowest accident rate per 1000 drivers nationally. This may not necessarily be because Mercury is a safer car brand, but simply because there are less on the road, making them likely to be involved in accidents by their very nature. Mercury cars are also no longer in production (since 2011) and are increasingly attracting collectors as their latest models become older. 

2. Pontiac

Pontiac is another car brand that is no longer in production and hence becoming a rarer sight on the roads. This could be partly the reason why Pontiacs are the second least-accident prone vehicles nationally. It’s particularly surprising considering that Pontiac is known for several high performance models that you might expect to be more involved in accidents. 

3. Cadillac

Cadillacs seem to be involved in relatively few accidents per 1000 drivers and are ranked third after Pontiac as the least accident-prone vehicles. The brand has become known for its luxury vehicles with advanced safety features – such vehicles are perhaps more likely to be driven carefully, which may explain the low accident rate. 

4. Acura

Acura tends to feature frequently on lists of the least amount of road accidents. The Japanese luxury automaker division has always prioritized safety and its new models regularly receive the top safety ratings from organizations like the IIHS and NHTSA. This could potentially explain why Acura cars are less likely to be involved in accidents. 

5. Volvo

A brand that has long invested money into safety is Volvo. This manufacturer has historically incorporated cutting-edge safety features into its cars and consistently ranks highly in safety tests. This may be the reason why Volvo has such a low accident rate. In fact, the Volvo X90 has the lowest highway accident rate of any car model.

Conclusion

While the figures tell a story, it’s important to remember that any car is only as safe as its driver and the conditions in which it is driven in. Buying a Mercury may not necessarily make you immune to road accidents, just as purchasing a Tesla may not necessarily increase your risk of being involved in a collision. 

Reading safety test reports may provide a more accurate idea as to which cars are safest. There are various bodies around the world that carry out safety tests and provide ratings for different models that can be worth looking into.

Can stats on the most and least accident-prone cars warn you as to which drivers to steer clear of? Potentially. Generally, it’s important to remember that faster high performance cars can be more of a danger and to give them room if you are driving at a slower pace. Larger vehicles may be more likely to get into accidents in parking lots due to being more difficult to maneuver in and out of bays. There is not always much you can do to prevent an accident in a parking lot, but you should try not to park too closely to other vehicles where you can avoid it.