Larger Vehicles Offer Reduced Safety Advantages According to IIHS Report

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has released a study that sheds light on the impact of vehicle weight on safety in two-vehicle crashes involving at least one fatality. The study, which analysed crashes between 2011 and 2022, focused on vehicles one to four years old.

For each time period, researchers measured fatality rates by vehicle type and weight. The findings suggest that safety benefits decline as a vehicle increases in weight past the fleet average. In the case of pickup trucks, the fatality rate for occupants only declines by one for each additional 500 pounds, a finding that could challenge the common perception of larger vehicles as inherently safer.

Interestingly, the crash death rate of drivers of smaller vehicles increases by seven for each additional 500 pounds of a pickup truck that weighs more than the average weight of vehicles in the study. This indicates a significant safety risk for occupants of nearby vehicles, especially in crash situations.

However, greater vehicle weight does little to benefit drivers of larger vehicles due to improvements like better airbag technology and other new safety features. In fact, the study notes that technology advancements deployed in newer model SUVs and trucks have led to safer driving conditions for nearby vehicles.

The demand for larger vehicles in the U.S. has grown steadily in recent years. Major automakers like Ford, General Motors, and Fiat Chrysler (now part of Stellantis) have increased production of trucks and SUVs in the U.S. to meet this rising demand.

Despite the improvements in the design of larger vehicles, the increasing weight of these vehicles remains a major threat for other drivers. IIHS President, David Harkey, stated that the perception among American drivers that bigger vehicles are safer may not necessarily be true. Sam Monfort, IIHS senior statistician and lead author of the study, echoed this sentiment, stating that choosing an extra-heavy vehicle doesn't make a driver any safer but increases the danger to other people.

The study found that the crash death rate of drivers of smaller vehicles in crashes with large SUVs (weighing 5,000 pounds or more) was 90% higher between 2011 and 2016, but only 20% higher between 2017 and 2022. This suggests a potential improvement in safety conditions over time, but the need for continued focus on vehicle safety remains crucial.

An Environmental Protection Agency report published in 2024 stated that the average weight of a 2023 vehicle in the U.S. was a record 4,371 pounds, 215 pounds more than the average weight of a 2019 model. This trend toward heavier vehicles underscores the importance of the IIHS findings and the need for ongoing efforts to ensure road safety for all.