Safety Corner September 2026
Corvette Lands on IIHS Study of Vehicles with Highest Rates of Driver Deaths
Photo Credit: Reddit
The Chevrolet Corvette sits at the center of a new Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) report that raises fresh concerns about how sports cars and muscle cars are driven — and the risks they pose both to their own drivers and to others on the road.
The IIHS analysis, which examines driver death rates and other driver death rates for 2023 model year vehicles, shows a clear pattern: small cars, sports cars, and muscle cars dominate the list of vehicles with the highest fatality rates. And while the Corvette is not among the worst performers, the report’s findings place America’s sports car icon squarely inside a broader conversation about power, speed, and driver behavior.
IIHS President David Harkey didn’t mince words. “Powerful engines and marketing that attracts aggressive drivers is the issue for sports cars and muscle cars. They’re dangerous mainly because of how they’re driven.”
That statement applies directly to cars like the Chevrolet Corvette, which has long been associated with high performance, track capability, and enthusiast focused driving. The IIHS report makes clear that vehicle design is only part of the equation — the human behind the wheel matters just as much.
Across all makes and models, the average driver death rate was 37 deaths per million registration years, while the average other driver death rate was 53. The higher other driver rate reflects the fact that many crash partner vehicles are older and offer less protection.
The worst performers were:• Kia Rio — highest driver death rate (170 per million)• Ram 3500 crew cab long bed 4WD — highest other driver death rate (204 per million)
Sports cars and muscle cars — including the Chevrolet Camaro (88 deaths per million), Chevrolet Malibu, and Dodge Charger variants — appeared on both high-risk lists. While the Corvette was not specifically named among the highest risk models, it shares the same category characteristics: high horsepower, performance-oriented marketing, and a driver base that often seeks speed.
Here is the list of the 20 vehicles identified in the study which includes the Corvette at number 19:
Vehicle name Vehicle type Death rate
Kia Rio Mini car 170
Nissan Versa Small car 164
Chrysler 300 2WD Large car 132
Dodge Charger Hemi 2WD Large car 127
Dodge Challenger 2WD Large car 125
Kia Forte Small car 120
Chevrolet Malibu Midsize car 116
Hyundai Venue 2WD Small SUV 113
Nissan Altima Midsize car 105
Nissan Maxima Midsize car 105
Hyundai Kona 2WD Small SUV 95
Kia K5 Midsize car 94
Dodge Charger 2WD Large car 90
Chevrolet Camaro Large sports car 88
Nissan Kicks Small car 86
Dodge Durango 2WD Large SUV 83
Hyundai Sonata Midsize car 83
Subaru Impreza Small car 83
Chevrolet Corvette Midsize sports car 82
Nissan Sentra Small car 81
Source: CorvetteBlogger.com Aug. 15, 2026
Paul Ziegenhorn
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