When looking at insurance claims, Tesla drivers report the most accidents and other traffic incidents in the United States. That’s according to 2024 data. Ram truck drivers report the second most incidents, using statistics that are scaled according to how many vehicles of a certain brand name are on the road. The drivers of Subaru models were third on this list.
According to comparative data, Mercury drivers reported the fewest traffic incidents for the year.
What Vehicle Brands Were Involved in the Most Accidents Reported to Insurers?
According to LendingTree’s insurance data, Tesla drivers, relatively speaking, reported the most traffic accidents in 2024. The electric car brand was involved in almost 26.67 collisions per 1,000 drivers for the year.
Note: The data is broken down by every 1,000 drivers. This is to adjust for some brands selling more cars. These more popular makes and models have more vehicles on the road and thus will have a greater chance of their vehicles being involved in accidents. The Per 1,000 rate is meant to even out the data for all brands.
Ram trucks were second on the negative list at 23.15 collisions per 1,000 drivers. You can see the three car brands involved in the most accidents in the chart below. It also shows the three car brands with the fewest incidents reported.
According to Lending Tree’s insurance inquiries data, these vehicle makers also made the top ten list for accidents in 2024. Audi, Mazda, Volkswagen, BMW, Honda, and Toyota.
What Makes a Car More Likely to Be Involved in an Accident?
There are reasons some cars appear in more accident reports than others. The drivers who pick certain brands can also affect how likely an accident is.
The Age of Drivers
Younger drivers generally cause more accidents than drivers in other age groups. The National Safety Council reports that the age group of 16 to 19 made up around 3.7% of licensed drivers in the U.S. in 2023. However, the driving group was involved in around 8.7% of collisions for the year.
Younger drivers can gravitate to sportier vehicles and more powerful engines with a higher top speed. This can affect the types of vehicle brands showing up in accidents. Some reports put the Chevy Camaro and the Ford Mustang near the top of the list for most accident-prone models.
The accident rates drop when looking at senior drivers involved in crashes, but seniors do end up in a disproportionate number of fatal accidents. Drivers 65 and older tend to gravitate toward SUVs that sit higher and allow for easier entry and exit. Honda and Toyota, the makers of many SUVs, could see elevated accident levels due to this buying preference.
Vehicle Performance
Drivers of all ages can be thrilled by the prospect of sitting in a sports car. Part of that is how fast and furious these vehicles can go. Cars that are likely to be pushed to illegal speeds will end up in more crashes.
Younger drivers can gravitate to sportier vehicles and more powerful engines with a higher top speed. This can affect the types of vehicle brands showing up in accidents. Some reports put the Chevy Camaro and the Ford Mustang near the top of the list for most accident-prone models.
The Tesla, topping the list in the chart above, is an electric vehicle, but that doesn’t mean it’s slow. The hard-charging power may lead to the brand being a part of a surprising number of accident reports. Drivers can be surprised by the speeds it can reach so quickly and lose control.
Region of the Country
Driving is just more dangerous in some parts of the country. California and places like Los Angeles and the Bay Area fit the bill for bad driving conditions. Its congested traffic and reckless motorists result in high accident rates each year. It stands to reason that car makes and models that are more popular in more congested places will be part of more accidents.
KRON-TV reports that the Tesla Model Y was the biggest-selling car in California according to the latest sales data from 2023. Tesla sold over 130,000 units. The Tesla Model 3 was the second most popular choice with over 80,000 cars flying off the lot. Two Toyota models, the Rav 4 and the Camry, were next on the list. The Honda Civic rounds out the top five.
It’s no wonder that these manufacturers come up most often in collision reports.
How Can I Determine if I Need a Lawyer After a Car Accident?
You may wonder if you need a lawyer after getting into a collision. A good rule of thumb is to go by the seriousness of your injuries.
If your injuries are very minor or you’ve just got car damage, you should be able to handle your car accident claim yourself.
If your injuries are more serious, like a broken bone or head trauma, and another driver is to blame, it may pay to have a lawyer handle your case. Car insurance companies make it harder to seek compensation when medical bills are higher. They look for ways to blame you, and they like to question the opinions of doctors about your injuries.
A California car accident lawyer is a safeguard against these tactics that are meant to rob you of the support you need to fully recover. Your lawyer can also often earn you much more than you could by filing a claim yourself.
Contact Maison Law If You Need a Lawyer After a California Car Accident
We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to victims. If you do require our help, you’ll pay nothing up front. Maison Law doesn’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the settlement check that an insurer must write for you.
