Ford Bronco Sport Among ‘Most Dangerous’ U.S. Vehicles

As traffic decreased significantly following the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, traffic fatalities in the U.S. actually rose significantly, mostly due to an increase in unsafe behavior, though that trend began to reverse in 2023. Last year, U.S. traffic fatalities declined for the first time in years, and that trend continued through the first half of 2024 as well. Regardless, some vehicles tend to be involved in more fatal accidents that others, whether it be due to unsafe design, the typical type of customer that owns them, or just sheer bad luck, and it seems as if the Ford Bronco Sport is on that list, too.

According to a new study from iSeeCars, the Ford Bronco Sport is among the “most dangerous vehicles on the road” in the U.S., currently, which it determined by looking at fatality data taken from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) of model year 2018-2022 cars with automotive crashes that resulted in at least one occupant fatality.

In that regard, the Ford Bronco Sport was the 18^th most dangerous vehicle overall given its fatal accident rate of 6.2 per billion miles, which is 2.2 times higher than the overall average of 2.8. In terms of individual model types, that fatality rate also ranked the Bronco Sport eighth among all SUVs, compared to a segment average of 2.2. The Ford Bronco Sport wasn’t the only Blue Oval vehicle to make this list either, as it was joined by the Ford Ranger, which ranked as the second-most dangerous pickup, as well as the Ford Bronco, which was the seventh most-dangerous SUV and the 17^th most dangerous vehicle overall.

“New cars are safer than they’ve ever been,” said Karl Brauer, iSeeCars Executive Analyst. “Between advanced chassis design, driver assist technology, and an array of airbags surrounding the driver, today’s car models provide excellent occupant protection. But these safety features are being countered by distracted driving and higher rates of speed, leading to rising accident and death rates in recent years. The popularity of SUVs has them dominating today’s roadways. That’s fine if you’re in an SUV, but if you’re in a smaller or lower vehicle you’re likely at a disadvantage if you tangle with one. However, as this list confirms, plenty of SUVs have a higher-than-average fatal accident rate, so don’t think of them as a guaranteed fix for vehicle safety.”