Ultra compact cars – often called minis – have increased in popularity in recent years, in large part due to their relatively inexpensive price tag and high fuel efficiency. Unfortunately, many of the smallest cars sold in America are also some of the most dangerous and the most likely to result in serious injuries and deaths in an auto accident.
According to crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), six of 11 the compact cars tested earned the Institute's lowest rating of "poor" and only one vehicle performed reasonably well in the crash tests. The vehicles that were deemed “poor” included: the Nissan Versa, Toyota Prius c, Hyundai Accent, Mitsubishi Mirage, Chrysler Fiat 500, and the Honda Fit. The Mazda2, Kia Rio, Toyota Yaris, and Ford Fiesta were deemed “marginal,” which is the second-worst of four possible ratings.
No other vehicle group has performed as poorly as these mini cars, according to the IIHS. The Chevrolet Spark was the only car that earned an overall "acceptable" rating, but
even that car had its shortcomings.
According to a Wall Street Journal article, the death rate in compact cars is significantly higher than that for standard size vehicles. In fact, the fatality rate for compact cars involved in multi-vehicle crashes is almost twice as high as that of large cars. And in single-vehicle crashes, passengers in minis were killed three times as often as in accidents involving large cars.
Not only is the death rate higher for minis, but injuries are often more severe as well. According to the IIHS, the two worst-performing cars were the Fit and the Fiat 500, for which the occupant compartments were crushed in and the steering pushed back toward the driver in crash tests. In the Fit, the driver's head glanced off the airbag before striking the instrument panel, and, in the 500, the door was ripped off its hinges. Both of the cars were the only ones in which injuries were deemed likely to both legs, not just one leg.
Auto accident injuries run the gamut, but the following are some of the most common injuries sustained in auto accidents:
• Concussions and Other Head Injuries
• Whiplash and Neck Injuries
• Back Injuries
• Bruises, Lacerations, and Fractures
• Psychological Injuries
What Should I Do If I Was Injured in a Compact Car Accident?
If you were injured in an auto accident involving a compact car, you should immediately obtain medical treatment. Even if there are no visible signs or symptoms of injuries, you may want to see a doctor since some injuries take hours or days to develop. Make sure to retain all medical records, documentation, and receipts.
