iSeeCars.com, the automotive research firm, made a study of fatal car crash rates among model year 2013-2017 vehicles. Drivers in Pennsylvania who own a car from this period may be interested to hear that subcompacts and sports cars were almost twice as likely as all vehicles on average to be in a fatal crash. The overall rate was 2.6 cars per billion vehicle miles. For subcompacts and sports cars, the rate was 4.5 and 4.6, respectively.
Moreover, the firm compiled a list of 14 vehicles with fatal crash rates that were at least double that of the average rate, and subcompacts and sports cars had six entries each. The Mitsubishi Mirage, a subcompact, came in first with a rate of 10.2 cars per billion vehicle miles. The Chevrolet Corvette (9.8), Honda Fit (7.7) and Kia Forte (7.4) came next. The list ended with the Hyundai Veloster Turbo and Nissan Versa Note, which were both 5.2.
Sports cars are built for speed, and so it’s not surprising that these would be involved in more fatal crashes. There’s also a general lack of active safety features on sports cars and subcompacts, although, there are exceptions. One interesting find was how highly rated many of these vehicles are. The Kia Forte, for instance, is an IIHS Top Safety Pick.
Regardless of how safe a vehicle is, it’s the driver who largely determines whether or not a crash will occur. Victims of motor vehicle accidents might be able to file a personal injury claims against the at-fault parties. Since Pennsylvania is a no-fault state, however, there are limitations in place. It may be wise to have a lawyer assess the claim before anything else. If retained, legal counsel could negotiate for a reasonable settlement covering medical bills, lost income and more.