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Consumers Union ranks cars for insurance companies according to their
cost and speed potential that makes them enticing to young drivers with
a need for speed. Many of these young drivers don't survive to enjoy
their cheap speed machine very long. That is why Consumers Union calls
the category "The Deadliest Cars" currently being sold.
The four "Deadliest Cars" currently on their list are: the Chevrolet
Camaro, the Chevrolet Corvette, the Ford Mustang and the Pontiac
Firebird.
According
to David Champion, head of the Automotive Testing Division for
Consumers Union, the Camaro, the Corvette, and the Mustang are cheap,
yet have big engines that appeal to young car buyers.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety began to keep death rates of
drivers from sports cars versus regular cars in 1984; they noticed that
sports cars had twice the death rate as compared to the regular cars.
However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has cited
that sports cars makers have made changes and added safety features
that have reduced the death rates of their drivers .
However, the death rates of all cars have gone done and, according to
the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, sports cars death rates are
still higher than death rates of regular cars. The added safety
features are also a part of regular cars whose death rates have also
gone done because of the safety features. While sports cars
manufacturers have done much to make their cars safer, their potential
for hgh speed at a low cost makes them attractive to drivers who like
to speed and feel safer speeding because of the added safety features.
The death rates of the "Deadiest Cars" are still higher than the death
rates of regular cars.
According to Champion, cars that have air bags, antilock brakes,
crumple zones, electronic traction control, three point seat belts and
other safety features found in today's sports car actually encourage
risk. According to the IIHS, cars like Mustangs are still Mustangs.
They may have been altered with safety features, but their cheap price
and high speed are still what attracts certain drivers to them.
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