Thanks to Sheena for pointing out todays Boston Globe Automotive Headline, “Big risks seen in small cars” …
Royal Ford writes “Americans who buy the smallest cars on the market are twice as likely to have fatal accidents as drivers of midsize and larger vehicles, according to a report being released today by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety” … so this sweeping generalisation gets headline treatment and of course the average Boston Globe reader looks no further and learns no more. Actually, the reader CANNOT look further because there’s no link to the original information!
so let’s head over to the IIHS and see what they actually say:
… this round of tests reveals big differences among the smallest cars … In the first test [of the Honda Fit] the frontal airbag deployed too early, allowing high forces on the driver dummy’s head … The Hyundai Accent, Scion xB, and the Toyota Yaris without its optional side airbags earn poor ratings in the side test. The Chevrolet Aveo is marginal … Another poor performer in the side test is the Scion xB. Side airbags aren’t available … especially disappointing because this car is marketed to young drivers, who have the highest crash rates and thus the greatest need for crashworthy vehicles …
Curiously they say nothing at all about the MINI Cooper, even though it’s included in their results:
… The only “good/good/good” performer is the Nissan Versa which by their definition doesn’t belong in this category anyway!
What also isn’t mentioned in Royal Fords article is the IIHS disclaimer that “Remaining differences plus driver demographics may account for some of the death rate differences” – which might mean that smaller cars appeal to younger drivers with less driving experience. Much more strange is the IIHS “driver deaths per million registered vehicles” chart which shows that PICKUPs are twice as dangerous as cars/minivans.
Apparently Royal Ford glanced at that chart, and assumed the high accident rate was for small cars rather than for pickups as labelled, since he claims in his article “the fatality rate in minicars … was 144 deaths per every 1 million registered vehicles … compared with a rate of 70 deaths per million for midsize cars …”
Of course since the “facts” in the Boston Globe article are the only ones most people get to see, the manufacturers of big cars, SUVs & pickups are smiling while the manufacturers of safe small cars have to re-educate the public once again 😦
Links to the IIHS “First crash tests of minicars”: text, PDF with charts, Status Report, Vol. 41, No. 10 – See Royal, I remembered to link to the sources 😉
M&I / GBMINI 
Ian – brilliant!! I was outraged by this glib and superficially researched story. Thank you for shedding light on the facts. Unfortunately, you are right about the general public glancing at this trite report and getting the wrong end of the stick. I applaud you for your efforts in bringing home the truth.
I wonder if royal is getting some special treatment fromt the Big 3 to say something like this.
Interesting that the graph only goes up to 5500 lbs…many SUVs are heavier.
Many of those heavier ones I see in a ditch, upside down, on fire…
Plus they don’t mention what they mean by deaths. Often they only include multi-car accidents, and as we know SUVs often create their own accidents.
Perhaps we should call upon the NMA to get more specific statistics. Ivan?
It’s easy to get fed up with the american driving organizations, which assume people drive 45mph on the highway (when codes assume at least 75), and have no requirements for even anti-lock brakes let alone 4-wheel independent braking control and side airbags.
Combined with the fact that for MOST companies, small cars mean CHEAP cars, and people buying cheap will not spend money on those “extras” means that the majority of these “death” numbers include those cheap caskets-on-wheels like neons and cavaliers.
I guess there are no statistics for “accident avoidance capability” since there is no way to record “near misses”. However, twice I have been in a situation which required an emergency maneuver to avoid contact with an offending vehicle.
I missed being T-boned by a car pulling out of a side street (he was performing a “rolling stop”) and was spared by the handling and quick steering of the MINI. The second time I was traveling at 65+ when a pickup truck crossed the center line into my lane and I was forced to swerve around him onto the shoulder and back. I am sure this last situation would have rolled a lesser vehicle.
So, how are these capabilities taken into account when considering the word “safety”? If you simplify the safety equation to “mass vs. mass”, physics rule and the Queen Mary becomes the safest vehicle on the road!
Theo
You can’t argue with “The Chevrolet Aveo is marginal” though…!! 😉
I emailed Royal Ford about his article and got this reply:
‘the data came from president of iihs. and he was talking small cars vs. medium and full size cars.’
That’s the entire message. No ‘Dear Mr X’ (as I had addressed my email to him, no capital letters, no complete sentences… Funny, but I expected someone who writes professionally to write better.
Who else has been emailing Royal..? I just got this follow up to my reply to his previous message…
‘you make a good point. i’ve gotten email on this and will address it in next q and a column i do. much more readership there than in tiny box on page 2. should have said cars, not vehicles. and i did list big cars (mercedes in particular) and that part of story got cut on desk.’
He must be sending these from his phone..! 😉