ALLGBMINI

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 😉