Safest cars

Just saw a recently released safe car list. I expected to see Hummers and big SUVs. There  was no engineering data on construction. There was no crash test statistics. The basis was insurance claims. I wanted to know why these cars were the safest.

The problem with insurance claim statistics is the basis for the data. Was the highest rated model determined by dividing all claims for that model by the total number of that model insured? Was the highest rated model selected by that model having the smallest number of claims compared to other models? Regardless of the method were multiple claims for same vehicle ignored or included? Were all insurers included or just insurers participating in a national association group? Did parking lot incidents under 10mph have the same weight as interstate incidents of 55+mph? Was safety factor based on injury to people or repair cost?

Looking at the models listed you will not find muscle or sports cars favored by young men.  You will not find vehicles typically associated with offsite service entities. You will not find typical commuter vehicles.

The models listed are associated with part time workers, young women new to the work force, soccer moms, yuppies, and retired people. The safety list isn't about vehicle safety. It is about the life style of owners.

Except for the young women new to the work force, the vehicles on the list would have low annual mileage users. The vehicle users are not usually out and about during peak traffic hours. They would seldom travel roads where the speed limit is above 45mph and probably not over 35mph.

For safety, the bottom line is don't buy a car on the list, adjust your life style to reduce risk. Or, just use common sense.