The relative safety of SUVs vs. sedans varies based on whether you want to focus on safety before or during a crash. In many cases, SUVs are generally safer once you’re in an accident, while sedan drivers often have better chances of avoiding accidents altogether.
A Chicago car accident lawyer from Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. can tell you more about these vehicles and explain what you should do after any kind of crash. The law firm has over 75 years of combined experience and can answer your questions today.
Which is Safer: SUVs vs. Sedans
There’s not a single answer to whether SUVs or sedans are safer. If you want to avoid an accident altogether (the safest option), sedans often make a better choice due to their lower center of gravity, superior handling, better agility, and shorter stopping distances.
However, if you end up in an accident, SUVs often give their occupants an increased amount of safety due to their larger size, higher bumpers, and heavier weight.
The team at Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. can give you more information about the pros and cons of each vehicle type.
Most Dangerous Vehicles in the U.S.
After reviewing state traffic data gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. found that in 2022, the vehicles most commonly involved in fatal accidents in the United States were light trucks, which include:
- SUVS
- Minivans
- Pickup trucks
Meanwhile, the next largest group for fatal accidents were passenger vehicles, including:
- Sedans
- Hatchbacks
- Convertibles
As you can see from the graph, both light trucks and passenger vehicles far outpaced other types of vehicles in fatal accidents, with motorcycles a distant third, followed closely by large trucks, then other specialty vehicles ahead of a small number of fatal bus accidents.
However, when you break this data down further, sedans made up the vast majority of fatal passenger-vehicle accidents, accounting for 15,757 of the 20,049 fatal crashes. In contrast, SUVs accounted for a much smaller share of light truck accidents, with only 14,117 of the 25,807 fatal accidents attributed to these vehicles.
How Drivers Can Make SUVs and Sedans Safer
Taking appropriate safety measures while driving can make operating both SUVs and sedans less dangerous. Sedan drivers should maintain a safe distance from larger vehicles and invest in safety features such as adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure warnings.
Meanwhile, SUV drivers should use caution around turns to reduce rollover risk and brake earlier to account for longer stopping distances.
Drivers of all kinds of vehicles should use their seat belts, check their blind spots when changing lanes, backing up, or turning, and drive at a safe rate of speed. The team at Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. can tell you more about safe driving practices.
Safe Stay in Chicago’s High-Crash Corridors
Drivers need to pay higher levels of attention to safety when navigating high-crash corridors throughout Chicago, including:
- Western Avenue
- Pulaski Road
- Cicero Avenue
- Halsted Street
Certain intersections in the city often pose a higher risk of accidents for both sedans and SUVs. These intersections include:
- Garfield Boulevard at Wells Street
- 79th Street / Stony Island Avenue / South Chicago Avenue
- Michigan Avenue at Wacker Drive
An attorney from Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. can give you information about what to do after an accident in any of these locations and help you determine which is safer, SUVs or sedans.
Frequently Asked Questions About Vehicle Safety
The team at Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. can answer questions like:
Are certain vehicle colors safer than others?
Some vehicle colors are safer than others. An investigation of the effect of vehicle color on safety using crash data from 2011 to 2015 showed that multicolored, orange, and purple cars were least likely to be in accidents. White, black, red, and silver cars were in the most accidents.
How many fatal accidents are there in Illinois?
The 2022 study published by the NHTSA reported a total of over 1,800 fatal accidents in Illinois. There were 740 fatal light truck accidents that year (the category that includes SUVs) and 648 fatal passenger vehicle accidents (the category that includes sedans).
How can I find the safest vehicle to drive?
You can review information like the 2026 Top Safety Picks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to find the safest vehicles to drive. The IIHS has reviewed sedans, SUVs, and other types of vehicles using rigorous safety standards.
Get Help from a Car Accident Lawyer After a Crash
So, which is safer: SUVs or sedans? Sedans are generally better at helping you avoid an accident in the first place, while SUVs offer you a higher level of protection if you end up in a crash.
However, you cannot guarantee your safety on the road no matter what you drive. After a crash, you can get the help you deserve from our team at Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C.
We’ve secured over $100 million in compensation for our clients, and we invite you to review our testimonials to learn more about our successes. We’re ready to fight for you, so reach out today and discuss your next steps with a skilled member of our team.
