Dangerous Cars
It’s quite possible that you might be the safest driver in the United States. You might always obey the speed limit, you might always drive defensively, you might never talk on your cell phone while you are behind the wheel, you might always be aware of your surroundings and you might have never gotten so much as a parking ticket in your entire life.
All of that would be fine if it weren’t for the fact that you happen to share the road with other drivers, many of whom don’t even take the bare minimum of precautions when they get behind the wheel. As attorneys who help car accident victims in the D.C. area, we can tell you with great certainty that while safe driving helps, it’s no guarantee that you won’t get into an accident.
This is why we are not only advocates of safe driving, but also safe cars. An automobile that is built specifically for safety could be the difference between an accident that you walk away from and an accident that changes your life completely. It’s for that reason that we think safety ratings should be a priority when you are in the market for a new car.
Every year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tests every new model of car that is sold on the American market, and by “test,” we mean that they wreck them in every conceivable way. They slam them into brick walls, they hit them with other cars, and they drive them at high speeds with the sole intention of forcing them to roll over.
What follows is a list compiled by Forbes Magazine of the some of the least safe cars of 2009. It is our hope that you will keep this list in mind when you go out to buy a car.
Chevrolet Aveo: We’re big fans of cars that get good mileage, and at 34 mpg on the highway the Aveo certainly qualifies. But saving money at the gas pump won’t keep you from getting hurt in a side or rear collision. And apparently, neither will the Aveo. The NHTSA rated its side collision protection “marginal” and its rear collision “poor.”
Chevrolet Colorado: This mid-size pickup comes equipped with what Chevy is calling “Stabilitrak” software, which is a quite effective anti-skidding technology. But what the Colorado does not have is effective protection in a side or rear collision. Many car accidents happen with no skidding whatsoever. The side collision rating for this truck was “poor,” while the rear collision rating was “marginal.”
Chevrolet Trailblazer: This truck has been the gold standard for Chevrolet for years, but it doesn’t help in a side or rear collision. The side and rear ratings are the same for the Trailblazer as they are for the Colorado, and to top it off, the ‘Blazer only has three out of five stars when it comes to avoiding rollover incidents. All in all, this isn’t a vehicle that you want to gamble with.
Chrysler PT Cruiser: You have to wonder who is asleep at the switch when it comes to the side and rear panels of so many of these cars. Here is yet another American made car with “poor” safety ratings on the side and in the rear.
Dodge Nitro: The folks over at Dodge are marketing this SUV as having “Cargo and Passenger Flexibility With Red Hot Style,” and while that’s all well and good, style doesn’t make up for a three star rollover rating, marginal protection on the side and poor protection in the rear.
Ford Ranger: How is it that the flagship vehicle of Ford’s truck line offers poor rollover protection and marginal/poor side/rear protection?
GMC Canyon: This truck rates “poor” in side collision protection.
GMC Envoy: While GMC is marketing the Envoy as having the “highest side impact safety rating,” the NTHSA says something else entirely. They rate the Envoy as only having marginal side impact safety, as well as having a poor impact safety rating.
Hummer H3: You would think that a gas guzzling behemoth would at the very least keep you safe in the event of a car accident, but it turns out that the H3 only has middling rollover protection, as well as a poor rear collision safety rating.
Hyundai Accent: Avoid buying this car. A side and rear impact rating of “poor” is not worth the low price tag, especially if you get into an accident.
Jeep Liberty: We aren’t sure why it is that Jeep is saying that the Liberty has the “highest government side impact rating” when in fact its side rating is only “marginal.” And its rear impact rating is “poor.”
Jeep Wrangler: This car was essentially made for off-roading and other fundamentally unsafe driving activities, so it comes as no surprise that the crash ratings for the Wrangler are “poor” on the side and “marginal” on the rear.
Kia Rio: Like the Hyundai Accent, the low price tag of the Kia Rio actually comes with hidden costs, which in this case are “poor” ratings in the side and rear.
Nissan Frontier: Despite the rather rugged advertising campaign, the Nissan Frontier is actually the last vehicle you want to be taking out in risky driving adventures. It only has a three out of five anti-rollover rating, and a “poor” rear impact safety rating.
As lawyers who represent people who have been injured in car accidents in the Maryland and D.C. metropolitan area, we know that the only way to make a car 100% safe is to never drive it. But by driving a car that at least has highly rated safety measures is a way for you to at least reduce the chances of getting seriously injured.
To learn more about personal injury or car accident issues please read our personal injury or car accident page. Or, visit our UTUBE site to watch car accident or personal injury videos.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident in the District, Virginia or Maryland, contact Greenberg and Bederman for a free legal consultation today.
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