Traffic accident mortality associated with car size:

New statistics last Thursday Insurance Institute for highway safety showed, in general, over the past 11 years than in the past to safe driving.

From 2002 to 2005, the annual registration of vehicles per million in 79 deaths, association statistics. As a comparison, from 1990 to 1994, there were 110 deaths per million vehicle registration. The overall death rate is reduced by 30%. The association said, mainly due to the safer vehicle design and more vehicles equipped with electronic stability system (Electronic Stability Control), especially SUV.

The lowest mortality models is the Chevrolet Astro van, Infiniti G35 sedan, BMW 7- and Audi A4/S4. Astro is a full size van, only 7 deaths per million registered. Audi A4/S4 per million registered 14 deaths.

The highest mortality rate is two door, two wheel drive cars such as the Chevrolet Blazer small SUV, Acura RSX, Nissan 350Z sport, Kia Spectra compact car, Kia Rio ultra compact car. These cars mortality per million registered in 232 (Blazer ) to 175 (Rio).

The mortality rate is from the federal government's disaster analysis of vehicle registration data reporting system data and analysis to Polk company.

Because men tend to be more than females in the killed in a car accident, the association made some adjustments according to the statistical data of some models of the male to female ratio.

In general, medium and large luxury car was the lowest, association pointed out, small 4 door car has the highest mortality rate. The lowest mortality of 15 type vehicle, not a small car. Also can not say that people only drive large car safety, Association spokesman Russ Rader said: "not that open the tank was safe".

Mid size car, especially those with smaller 4 cylinder and 6 cylinder engine car, have a good economy and relatively low mortality rate, Rader said.

The driver, not just the vehicle itself, also have an impact on mortality, the association said. For example, expensive luxury car than a cheap car safety, but to buy cheap cars are often young, inexperienced driver, but they may lead to higher mortality.

Stability control (Stability Control) technology shows its importance. In addition to the 3 models, the lowest mortality models are equipped with ESC (Electronic Stability Control), usually as a standard configuration. In contrast, the highest mortality rate of only 1 type 16 cars equipped with ESC. And the 1, Nissan 350Z, only the ESC listed as optional accessories.

The ESC through a variety of sensors to monitor vehicle skidding sign. When slip occurs computer system immediately intervention, control recovery vehicle.

Some other Research Association for the equipment and is not equipped with ESC the same models. The results show that for those fatal accident - bicycle is typical of the car lost control and veered off the road accident - more than halved. Study also shows that, ESC for multi car accident probability, reduction of 1/3.

SUV is higher than the general car, more dangerous bicycle accidents, especially the rolling. For this reason, ESC is very important to reduce the car accident. The lowest mortality in type 15 cars, 6 are SUV, 5 of which are the ESC as the standard configuration.

"This is a significant change in recent years," Russ Rader said, "SUV in the field of security has never been a star".

In addition to SUV, sports car is another fatal bicycle accident prone models, compared with the multi vehicle accident, crash. Can such speculation, the sports car is higher than the control limit of the other cars, drivers are more often to try to go beyond these limits.

The National Highway Safety Commission (NHTSA ) recently issued a regulation in 2012 all cars must be equipped with ESC. According to the analysis of NHTSA and association of insurance, mandatory installation of ESC each year can save the lives of 10000 people.

If you want to see the full report, to the IIHS.org, want to see the crash test results for the government, you can go to safercar.gov.

From CNN, April 23

IIHS:TOP SAFETY PICK2007 Award Winners

Large car
Audi A6

Midsize cars
Audi A4
Saab 9-3
Subaru Legacy
With optional electronic stability control

Minivans
Hyundai Entourage
Kia Sedona

Midsize SUVs
Acura RDX
Ford Edge
Honda Pilot
Lincoln MKX
Mercedes M class
Subaru B9 Tribeca
Volvo XC90