A new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has revealed the 10 cars that are most likely to kill you.
According to the numbers, the smallest, cheapest cars proved to be the most risky in an accident.
They study looked at large-sales volume vehicles made between 2008 and 2011.
Researchers found the four-door versions of Kia Rio, Nissan Versa and Hyundai Accent had the highest rates of driver deaths per 1 million registered vehicles.
For the Rio, it was 149 deaths per 1 million over the study period, 2009 to 2012.
According to the study, vehicles with the highest death rates were among the cheapest, entry-level models but IIHS spokesman Russ Rader told the USA Today cost wasn’t a big factor.
“The highest death rates are in the smallest, lightest vehicles,” he said. “It’s Packaging 101: If the occupant compartment stays intact, the seat belts and air bags can do their jobs.”
He said it once again shows that greater mass makes a difference in the physics of a crash.
Radar said the study also took into account that certain models have disproportionately high rates of young, male drivers, the riskiest group, and tried to compensate.
Here’s the list of models with the highest death rates:
(Numbers represent driver deaths per 1 million over the years studied, from 2009 to 2012)
1. Kia Rio four-door, 149
2. Nissan Versa, 130
3. Hyundai Accent four-door, 120
4. Chevrolet Aveo, 99
5. Hyundai Accent two-door, 86
6. Chevrolet Camaro, 80
7. Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew, 79
8. Honda Civic two-door, 76
9. Nissan Versa hatchback, 71
10. Ford Focus, 70
