Small Cars Have Higher Driver Death Rates
A recent analysis of driver death rates in car accidents tells us that size matters and smaller is deadlier, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The IIHS reported in May 2020 that despite manufacturers’ efforts to make small cars safer, the smallest late-model cars and minicars accounted for 15 of the 20 models with the highest fatality rates for model year 2017. Meanwhile, larger luxury sport utility vehicles accounted for nearly half of the 20 models with the lowest death rates. The rates include only driver deaths because all vehicles on the road have drivers, the IIHS explains. The number of deaths is derived from the federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
The rise is consistent with a larger number of U.S. traffic fatalities over the four-year period covered by this study, compared with the previous one. From 2015 to 2018 there were 147,324 fatalities, compared with 134,905 from 2012 to 2015. Why do small cars have higher driver death rates? “Smaller vehicles offer less protection for the driver in crashes, and their lighter mass means that they take the brunt of collisions with larger vehicles,” Joe Nolan, IIHS senior vice president of vehicle research, said in the report. A vehicle’s ability to resist forces colliding with it — its mass — affects the damage it sustains in a collision. The more mass a vehicle has, the less impact a collision has on it. Conversely, the more mass and momentum a vehicle has, the more resistant it is to change, such as slowing down when a driver applies the brakes. Simply put, a bigger car withstands a collision better and will cause more damage if it hits a smaller car. The force of impact in a collision increases with speed. Because of their size, smaller cars have less structural protection to protect a driver from sustaining fatal injuries in a crash. The IIHS found that minicars have the highest overall death rate of any vehicle category with 82 fatalities per million registered vehicle years, and very large SUVs have the lowest at 15.
Fatal car accidents are up across the board. “The average driver
death rate for all 2017 models increased to 36 deaths, compared with 30 for 2014
models,” according to the IIHS, an automotive testing organization.
Sudoku
Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak
INGREDIENTS
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2 garlic cloves, sliced
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1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling
1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
1 tbsp dried oregano
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1 3-lb flank steak Kosher salt, to taste
2 tbsp whole-grain mustard 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
4. Remove steak frommarinade and let excess marinade drip off. Sprinkle the steak lightly with salt and pepper. 5. Light grill and oil grates with olive oil. 6. Grill steak over moderate heat for 10–12 minutes, turning halfway through, until steak is lightly charred and the internal temperature reaches 125 F. 7. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice, drizzle reserved sauce, and serve.
1. Combine garlic, rosemary, oregano, mustard, and vinegar in a blender. Purée until garlic is minced. 2. Add oil and continue blending until creamy, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve 1/4 cup. 3. Place steak in a ceramic or glass
baking dish and cover steak with the remaining marinade. Turn to coat the other side, cover, and let marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
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