When shopping for a new car, among the most important factors you’ll want to consider is safety and reliability. As well as encompassing the likelihood that a given component will wear out and need replacing, it’s also worth casting a glance at which cars are involved in collisions more often than others. This information comes courtesy of a study of government crash data from Go Compare.
There are a few complicating factors to consider, here. Rarer cars will naturally be involved in fewer crashes. On a per-vehicle basis, Vauxhall is actually among the most accident-prone brand, despite having no entries in the top five (which we’ll get to). What’s more, the profile of the drivers who pick up certain vehicles will also tilt the accident rate one way or the other. And so too will the location – cars driven on country roads at night are likely to be overrepresented – as might those forced to navigate through congestion-blighted city centres. Whatever can you’re driving, you may be able to claim compensation in the even of an accident – so don’t neglect to do so!
With that said, let’s examine a few of the worst offenders.
Toyota Prius
Out of every 10,000 vehicles crashed in the UK, 111 are Priuses – which makes the Toyota the most accident-prone car on British roads. You might speculate that this presence is down to electric and hybrid cars being quieter – and therefore more easily missed.
Citroen Saxo
In second place comes the Saxo, on 106/10,000 – this is despite the car not being produced in more than a decade prior to the findings being made public.
BMW 330D
This model from BMW offers a series injection of pace. The three-series is popular at its price point, and comes with a raft of features that executives have come to expect.
BMW 530D
It’s neither the most luxurious executive car, nor the most high-performance. With that said, the 530d is a highly-desirable vehicle, especially if you opt for the M Sport version, which is seriously attractive, even for a diesel. Newer models tend to be a little more lightweight than their predecessors, which limits braking distance and thereby helps avoid accidents.
Peugeot 106
Rounding out the top five is the Peugeot 106, with 84 per 10,000 vehicles. Interestingly, Peugeot comes in at number six and nine, too, with the 306 accounting for 76 of the ten-thousand, and the 206 accounting for 74.