Study: Chevy Blazer has highest driver death rate
WASHINGTON -- General Motors Corp. vehicles had the highest and lowest driver death rates from 2002 through 2005, according to a study released Thursday by the insurance industry.
Two-door, two-wheel drive Chevrolet Blazers built from 2001 to 2004 had the highest rate of 232 driver deaths per million registered vehicles during the four-year span, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found.
The Chevrolet Astro minivan had the lowest rate with only seven deaths per million registered vehicles. It was followed by the Infiniti G35, BMW 7 Series and the Toyota 4Runner. The two-door Acura RSX had the second-highest rate with 202 driver deaths followed by the Nissan 350Z, with 193 deaths.
Automakers said the study was limited in scope because it did not include factors such as driver behavior that could play a key role.
"It's difficult to really draw much significance," said GM spokesman Alan Adler.
The Astro and Blazer went out of production in 2005.
Nissan says its vehicles, including the 350Z, are designed to meet government safety regulations and the automaker's internal safety requirements.
Chris Naughton, a spokesman for Acura parent Honda Motor Co., said the Acura RSX had younger buyers, which could have contributed to its ranking.
The institute found the average death rate fell from 110 from 1990 to 1994 to the current rate of 79 for the 2002-2005 period.