Lexus RX Is ‘America’s Safest Vehicle,’ Says IIHS
IIHS study once again tabs the Lexus RX as the safest vehicle you can buy.
Even though driving on U.S. roads has become more dangerous, the Lexus RX has maintained its status as the safest vehicle in America. The distinction comes from the latest Insurance Institute for Highway Safety report, released this week.
The RX 350 (2WD) returned a driver death rate of zero in the report, and is the only vehicle to do so for six years of IIHS studies. In their previous three year report, the RX 350 AWD model reported zero driver deaths. This time around, the AWD model scored a still excellent 2 deaths per million registered vehicles.
The IIHS study collects its data from police reports to determine the death rate for every vehicle sold in the U.S. An improving economy over the course of this latest study has been a key factor in rising death rates. More and more Americans took to the road over the last few years, reversing the trend of falling driver death rates. This, in spite of improving safety technology and crash test ratings.
Despite these trends, Lexus and Toyota once again returned the best overall results, with the most zero death vehicles of any automaker. Joining the Lexus RX on the list is the CT 200h. The two compact Lexus vehicles bucked another trend that emerged from the report as well. The IIHS found that smaller vehicles are experiencing higher death rates, with larger SUVs proving safer in crashes.
So even though driving has become a more dangerous endeavor in recent years, it looks like Lexus drivers can continue to enjoy a little extra peace of mind.
