First: SUVs don't survive crashes particularly well
This is outdated information, SUVs are now far safer than cars. Death rate (per 1M vehicle years) for 4WD midsize SUV: 23. Midsize Sedan: 51 [1]
This is outdated information, SUVs are now far safer than cars. Death rate (per 1M vehicle years) for 4WD midsize SUV: 23. Midsize Sedan: 51 [1]
It's also interesting to note that pickups can fare quite poorly (the Nissan Titan Crew Cab is among the worst vehicles listed), and even within the same manufacturer, lager models aren't necessarily safer (Mazda 3 at 52 deaths/million miles, Mazda 6 at 60). The error bounds and total miles (exposure) on a number of the larger SUVs are also large and small respectively, suggesting a possible data collection limitation.
When I read your comment I realized something must be off and went to check the source data. Imagine if the average driver drives 20K miles / year it would take only 50 drivers to get to million miles. If the death rate of cars would even approach 50 deaths per million miles then everybody would stand a good chance of dying in a car accident. Clearly this is not the case.
For some stats:
In 2009 there were 10.5 million accidents, and 35,900,000 motor vehicle fatalities. Your odds of dying in any given accident are 0.3%.
In 2013 projections were for 1,203.6 billion vehicle miles travelled. Travel mileage has actually been declining slightly (about 1%/year) since the 2008 depression.
You could expect to travel 33,526,462 without a death, on average.
http://advisorperspectives.com/dshort/updates/DOT-Miles-Driv... https://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s1103....
What were the crash parameters? Speeds? Head-on? (Looks like it).
Your car was a Subaru something or other?
I had a slight gash on my head that bled for a little bit, and I have a dislocated clavicle near my breast bone.
I was driving 20 Mph, taking a left turn, the Nissan Titan was doing (by the drivers accounts) 45 - 50 Mph. Practically head-on.
According to the fire department, police and EMT's that arrived on the scene it was a miracle how in-tact the interior was, and that I walked away from it. The insurance adjuster at first wouldn't believe me when I told him to start working up paperwork for totalled while also telling him I had walked away from it. He ended up later calling me while looking at my vehicle, and I quote, "Are you sure you are okay?"
The guy that towed my vehicle from the accident site was surprised to see me after I was released from the hospital looking for my keys (house keys are on the same key ring), he hadn't been told about my status by the cops or anyone, and had assumed I was in crit-condition in the hospital.
Subaru saved my life, and for that I am extremely happy.
I swear the longer I drive the more freaked I get by it, even with all the tech a well-designed vehicle can wrap you in.
What if SUVs just get driven less (due to poor mileage, only being taken out in the snow...)
Vehicle-years can be determined directly from vehicle registration data. Miles traveled would require a lot more guesswork.