Auto safety is always an important topic to pay attention to, and there are numerous agencies providing safety ratings to help drivers make an informed decision.
However, while some models might have a reputation for safety, it's not every day that the most unsafe vehicles in the country are identified. Yet that's exactly what the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) did in their latest report.
The organization compiled data based on the number of fatalities for a model per million registered vehicle years that the model has been registered on the road. The worst offenders all had more than 100 fatalities over this statistical time period.
The Nissan 350Z was the worst of the bunch at 143, followed by the Nissan Titan at 126. The Chevrolet Aveo, Cobalt and Kia Spectra all averaged more than 100 fatalities as well.
On the other hand, the top models actually averaged zero fatalities, as the number of deaths was so low as to be statistically insignificant. The Ford Escape, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Audi A6, Land Rover LR3, Nissan Armada and Toyota Sienna can all brag about their "perfect zero."
Drivers should realize that the data used was for models from 2005-2008, so this should really only affect used vehicle purchases - there's a good chance a model has changed significantly since then.