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1 / 30#30. Toyota RAV4 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 28* per million registered vehicle years
--- 28 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- None in single-vehicle crashes
--- None in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 0-59
30 SUVs with the highest death rates
When it comes to traffic deaths, there has been some encouraging news in recent months. According to April 2026 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were an estimated 36,640 traffic fatalities in 2025, a 6.7% year-over-year decrease from 2024.
However, as much as traffic deaths have declined in the U.S. as of late, not all cars are created equal regarding vehicle safety. Research has shown that passengers in smaller vehicles, like sedans, have a higher likelihood of death in the event of a collision compared to SUVs.
But which of the leading SUVs are involved in the most fatal accidents for their passengers? Stacker used data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to find the 30 SUVs with the highest driver death rates. Vehicles made by Jeep and Mitsubishi landed in several spots among the top manufacturers of cars ranked by the highest death rate.
Death rates for this ranking were measured as the number of estimated driver deaths per 1 million registered vehicle years, each of which is calculated as one vehicle registered for one year. Rates were also adjusted based on drivers' ages and gender. Ties were broken by the rate of multiple-vehicle crashes that resulted in driver deaths, though a few vehicles remained tied after considering that factor.
The institute released the data in May 2020, primarily comparing 2017 vehicle models. However, it expanded the results to earlier model years for more data in cases where the vehicle wasn't substantially redesigned during that time. These rankings do not include luxury SUVs, which typically have additional safety measures.
The institute estimated that the overall death rate for SUVs is about 25 per million registration years, or 19 per 10 billion vehicle miles traveled. Compared to other vehicle categories, the largest SUVs have the lowest driver death rate. Many vehicle models with the lowest death rates were luxury SUVs, which were not included in these particular rankings.
Death rate estimates were created using statistical modeling, which is prone to some degree of error: Confidence interval ranges are provided, and the actual values have a 95% chance of being within that range based on the institute's analysis.
Read on to see how your preferred SUV stacks up against popular models.
Veyron Photo // Shutterstock
2 / 30#29. Volkswagen Tiguan 4WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 29* per million registered vehicle years
--- 16 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 16 in single-vehicle crashes
--- None in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 0-62
Jonathan Weiss // Shutterstock
3 / 30#28. Chevrolet Traverse 4WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 29* per million registered vehicle years
--- 19 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 9 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 2 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 9-49
Jonathan Weiss // Shutterstock
4 / 30#27. Chevrolet Equinox 4WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 29* per million registered vehicle years
--- 20 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 9 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 2 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 15-43
Jonathan Weiss // Shutterstock
5 / 30#26. Ford Escape 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 29* per million registered vehicle years
--- 22 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 6 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 2 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 20-38
Arnold O. A. Pinto // Shutterstock
6 / 30#25. Jeep Wrangler 4-door 4WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 31* per million registered vehicle years
--- 15 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 17 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 10 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 21-41
rebinworkshop // Shutterstock
7 / 30#24. Kia Sorento 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 32* per million registered vehicle years
--- 12 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 22 in single-vehicle crashes
--- None in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 5-58
Fancey Media // Shutterstock
8 / 30#23. Ford Explorer 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 33* per million registered vehicle years
--- 21 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 11 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 6 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 8-58
Jonathan Weiss // Shutterstock
9 / 30#22. GMC Terrain 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 33* per million registered vehicle years
--- 22 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 10 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 1 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 16-51
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10 / 30#21. Toyota 4Runner 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 34* per million registered vehicle years
--- 23 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 10 in single-vehicle crashes
--- None in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 0-67
Iurii Vlasenko // Shutterstock
11 / 30#20. Jeep Patriot 4WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 36* per million registered vehicle years
--- 24 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 12 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 2 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 18-54
Jonathan Weiss // Shutterstock
12 / 30#19. Ford Flex 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 38* per million registered vehicle years
--- 38 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- None in single-vehicle crashes
--- None in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 0-75
haryanta.p // Shutterstock
13 / 30#18. Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 4WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 39* per million registered vehicle years
--- 9 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 35 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 15 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 8-69
Amanson // Shutterstock
14 / 30#17. GMC Yukon 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 40* per million registered vehicle years
--- 0 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 40 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 26 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 0-88
Jonathan Weiss // Shutterstock
15 / 30#16. Jeep Compass 4WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 40* per million registered vehicle years
--- 21 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 20 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 8 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 15-64
rebinworkshop // Shutterstock
16 / 30#15. Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 43* per million registered vehicle years
--- 32 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 12 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 12 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 9-77
Miro Vrlik Photography // Shutterstock
17 / 30#14. Chevrolet Trax 4WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 45* per million registered vehicle years
--- 15 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 33 in single-vehicle crashes
--- None in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 2-88
Iurii Vlasenko // Shutterstock
18 / 30#13. Dodge Journey 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 45* per million registered vehicle years
--- 26 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 19 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 12 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 25-65
Jonathan Weiss // Shutterstock
19 / 30#12. Chevrolet Equinox 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 45* per million registered vehicle years
--- 32 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 12 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 6 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 33-57
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20 / 30#11. Jeep Wrangler 2-door 4WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 46* per million registered vehicle years
--- 23 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 23 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 20 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 25-68
AnupongTermin // Shutterstock
21 / 30#10. Honda HR-V 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 50* per million registered vehicle years
--- 36 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 11 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 6 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 4-95
Everyonephoto Studio // Shutterstock
22 / 30#9. Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 51* per million registered vehicle years
--- 26 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 26 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 15 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 24-78
Iurii Vlasenko // Shutterstock
23 / 30#8. Nissan Rogue 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 51* per million registered vehicle years
--- 38 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 11 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 1 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 32-70
Jonathan Weiss // Shutterstock
24 / 30#7. Ford Expedition 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 55* per million registered vehicle years
--- 24 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 29 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 15 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 5-104
Everyonephoto Studio // Shutterstock
25 / 30#6. Mitsubishi Outlander 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 55* per million registered vehicle years
--- 31 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 22 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 15 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 5-104
Tikhomirov Sergey // Shutterstock
26 / 30#5. Jeep Compass 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 55* per million registered vehicle years
--- 40 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 15 in single-vehicle crashes
--- None in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 25-85
Iurii Vlasenko // Shutterstock
27 / 30#4. Jeep Patriot 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 60* per million registered vehicle years
--- 49 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 8 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 5 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 35-85
Renovacio // Shutterstock
28 / 30#3. Hyundai Tucson 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 61* per million registered vehicle years
--- 37 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 21 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 9 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 18-103
Pras Nazri // Shutterstock
29 / 30#2. Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 4WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 67* per million registered vehicle years
--- 45 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 21 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 5 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 12-122
Zoran Karapancev // Shutterstock
30 / 30#1. Chevrolet Trax 2WD
- Estimated driver deaths: 73* per million registered vehicle years
--- 40 in multiple-vehicle crashes
--- 37 in single-vehicle crashes
--- 20 in single-vehicle rollovers
*95% confidence range: 32-114
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the weight of a Toyota Corolla.
