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Confused.com is a top car insurance comparison site in the UK. (Why its domain name is “Confused.com,” I don’t know.) Despite being focused on the UK market, writers at the site recently decided to analyze National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety ratings — that is, vehicle safety ratings for the USA. The results are quite positive for electric vehicles.
Looking at ratings for 2,317 vehicle models released since 2014, they found that five (5) vehicle brands had achieved 5-star safety ratings 100% of the time. Two of those brands are EV companies! Can you name the two brands? Think about it for a moment before scrolling past the next image, a graph on the percentage of cars overall that received 5-star safety ratings in each of the last 11 years, and the number of cars analyzed for each of those years.
The five auto brands that received 100% 5-star safety ratings were: Volvo, Subaru, Tesla, Genesis, and Polestar. The EV brands there are Tesla and Polestar, of course.
We’ve explained in detail before that electric vehicles offer numerous safety advantages, and Tesla has always prided itself on producing super safe cars. For more on that, see our report: The EV Safety Advantage.
Rhydian Jones, motoring expert at Confused.com, writes, “EVs generally perform well in crash tests—lacking a heavy front engine allows for more spacious crumple zones and better weight distribution, which can help prevent flipping. Both Tesla and Polestar offer a wide range of safety features, including radars and sensors for detecting external risks and onboard technology to protect you if you do crash.
“Investing in a car with top-tier safety features isn’t just about peace of mind—it’s about making sure you and your loved ones are protected. And with a safer car, you may also enjoy benefits when it comes to your car insurance. That’s because vehicles with higher safety ratings are often seen as lower risk and generally cheaper to insure [2]. Sometimes though, it can lead to higher claims costs. This is because repairing the safety technology these cars use can be expensive.”
If you have a Tesla or Polestar (or one of the other brands above), you can feel comfort in knowing you have an extra safe car. It is one of the core reasons I bought a Tesla Model 3. However, it’s still critical to drive safely. As I wrote a few months ago, Teslas are actually involved in far more crash fatalities than other vehicles. Don’t let a high safety rating be an excuse for crazy driving. For more on that matter, see these stories:
Why Are Tesla Cars Involved In More Fatalities Than Any Other Auto Brand?
More Theories On Why Teslas Have The Highest Fatality Rate
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