The demand for trendy vehicles varies according to many different factors. But one factor that dictates which autos will be in high demand is their crash safety ratings.
Many car owners have flocked to buying sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in recent years because they believe that their size and how high they sit above the ground improves their safety. Does it, though? If you’re wondering if a car’s design affects your crash survivability, there is data that suggests that it might.
Are smaller cars less safe than larger vehicles?
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) compiled survivability crash rate data for different types of vehicles a few years ago. The researchers found that sedans had lower survivability rates than SUVs or trucks.
Study researchers also determined that a motorist’s fatality risk is at its highest the more inequality that exists between the sizes of the vehicles involved. The researchers argued that a smaller vehicle’s occupants are less likely to walk away from a crash the larger the vehicle that was involved in the crash with them.
The researchers also concluded that a smaller car’s occupants are most apt to die in a head-on accident with a larger vehicle than any other type of crash. They discovered that this likely has to do with the fact that a larger vehicle can better absorb the impact of a crash than a smaller car can.
How a car’s cost and age impact crash survivability
The IIHS researchers determined that the more costly a vehicle is, the more likely it is to save its occupants’ lives in a crash. They also discovered that newer cars tend to be safer than older models. These factors may be attributable to newer and more expensive vehicles being equipped with onboard safety features.
You have rights following a crash
Many individuals suffer injuries in crashes that forever change their lives. Spinal cord or brain injuries and amputations are two examples of this.
The impact a crash can have on your life can be both emotionally and financially devastating. Ohio law affords car accident victims and the loved ones that depend on them an ability to hold any negligent parties liable for their actions. You may be able to do the same in your case.