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Understanding Sports Car Insurance Coverage For Convertible Tops In Singapore – Convertible cars are actually safer than hardtops, study says. There are fewer deaths and injuries in drop tops than in fixed-roof vehicles.
Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the wind in your hair while driving a convertible. If you are worried about not having a roof above your head in case of an accident, put those worries aside. Research recently published by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows that drop tops are just as safe as a fixed-roof vehicle in the event of a collision – in fact, they are slightly safer.
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Judging by driver deaths per 10 billion vehicle miles traveled, the death rate was 11% lower for convertibles compared to hardtops. The number of police-reported accident involvements was six percent lower per 10 million miles driven by vehicles with drop tops than with coupes.
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To break things down even further, the injury rate in hardtop convertibles was 10% lower than that of hardtop convertibles. Soft-top convertibles had a three percent lower injury rate than a vehicle with a fixed roof.
As you would expect from the lack of a roof, there is a greater risk of being thrown out of a convertible. The study found that 21 percent of hardtop drivers killed in a crash were ejected, versus 17 percent of hardtop drivers. In rollover incidents, the chances of exiting the cabin were 43% for convertibles and 35% for coupes.
The IIHS speculates that the lower crash and fatality rates for convertibles versus hardtop vehicles may be due to a few factors. Droptops tend to be heavier than a car with a fixed roof, and research shows that a model that weighs more tends to be safer.
There’s also the fact that convertibles tend to cost more than a comparable coupe. The researcher hypothesizes that this would affect the socioeconomic composition of droptop drivers. These owners may be older, more mature people who would take fewer risks behind the wheel.
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Additionally, people tend to drive convertibles differently, as it is often more of an act of pleasure than simply getting around. These people may be paying more attention to what is going on around them and be better equipped to avoid an accident. A person is more likely to remove the droptop during good weather, so adverse conditions are less likely to be a factor in a collision.
The IIHS research specifically analyzed accidents from 2014 to 2018. For the safety comparison, the study only analyzed models available in convertible and hardtop versions, and the vehicles could not be more than five years old.
Convertibles may not seem as safe as other vehicles when they’re traveling down the highway with the top down, but crash statistics tell a different story, a new IIHS study shows.
Despite the relatively fragile appearance of their roof structures, newer convertible models are no riskier than non-convertibles, according to analysis of accident and fatality rates.
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In fact, both accident rates and driver death rates were lower for convertibles than for non-convertible versions of the same cars. However, the differences in driver death rates were not statistically significant.
“These findings do not suggest that convertibles offer better protection for their occupants than other cars, but they do indicate that there is no statistical basis for concerns that the lack of a permanent roof makes them more dangerous,” said Eric Teoh, director of statistics at the IIHS. services, who wrote the article.
Teoh compared the rates of driver deaths and police-reported accidents per kilometers driven for convertible and non-convertible versions of 1- to 5-year-old models during 2014-18. It also compared the circumstances and driver behaviors associated with the fatal crashes, looking at factors such as point of impact and whether the driver was ejected from the vehicle, as well as seat belt impairment and use.
Data on drivers killed in crashes came from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Information on the number of police-reported crashes came from the General Estimates System of the National Automotive Sampling System and the Accident Report Sampling System that replaced it in 2016, also maintained by NHTSA.
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Teoh found that convertibles were involved in 6% fewer police-reported accidents per kilometer driven than their conventional counterparts. Driver death rates were 11% lower. However, the likelihood of the driver being ejected from the vehicle in the event of a fatal collision was greater in convertibles than in conventional versions.
Previous research has shown that for conventional cars, a stronger roof reduces the risk of serious or fatal injuries, as well as the likelihood of ejection in the event of a rollover. The IIHS added a roof strength rating to its crashworthiness testing program in 2009, making a good rating a requirement for the TOP SAFETY PICK award a year later.
Both stretch fabric convertibles and retractable hardtop convertibles are exempt from current NHTSA roof crush resistance requirements. However, some manufacturers have voluntarily reinforced the A-pillars on both sides of the windshield and installed roll bars to provide additional protection in the event of a rollover.
When the IIHS evaluated a group of midsize convertibles in 2007, most of the 10 models earned good or acceptable ratings in frontal and side crash tests, although eight had poor or marginal head restraints. Since then, convertibles have continued to be a low priority in the testing program due to their small sales volumes.
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This year, the IIHS-affiliated Highway Loss Data Institute also compared insurance claims data for vehicles available in convertible and non-convertible versions, finding that convertibles had lower injury rates and collision claim rates.
Teoh found little difference in most circumstances of fatal crashes between convertible and non-convertible vehicles. In both cases, about a quarter of the deaths occurred in rollover collisions, about half occurred in single-vehicle collisions, about 60% resulted from frontal-impact collisions, and about 20% from side-impact collisions.
However, 21 percent of convertible drivers killed in accidents were ejected from the vehicle, compared to 17 percent for conventional cars. Among rollover accidents, the probability of ejection was 43% for convertibles, compared to 35% for non-convertibles.
Convertible drivers were slightly more likely to wear seat belts and slightly less likely to speed, although they were slightly more likely to be impaired by alcohol. These differences were too small to suggest a large variation in driver behavior for the two types of vehicles.
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Teoh was not able to take into account all possible differences in the way convertibles drive, even when compared to the non-convertible version of the same car. For example, it may be that convertible owners drive them more often in good weather or on less busy roads, which could affect accident rates.
“Based on this study, convertibles do not appear to pose a specific safety risk,” Teoh said. “If you’re shopping for a convertible, consider its crash test ratings and safety features, just as you would if you were shopping for any other car.”
Purpose: Convertible cars have been around since the first automobiles, and the lack of a substantial roof structure creates some safety concerns. Although crash tests have demonstrated that convertibles can resist excessive intrusion in frontal and side collisions and that strong A-pillars and roll bars can help maintain survival space in rollovers, little work has been done examining the crash experience of these vehicles in the real world. The purpose of this study was to compare the crash experience of recent convertibles with non-convertible versions of the same cars using the most recent crash data.
Methods: Rates of driver deaths and police-reported crash involvements were compared for 1- to 5-year-old convertible cars and their non-convertible versions during 2014-2018. Exposure measures included registered vehicle years and vehicle miles traveled (VMT). These rates were compared using the standardized mortality ratio to account for possible differences in exposure distribution. Accident circumstances (e.g., point of impact, rollover, ejection) and behavioral outcomes (e.g., speeding, alcohol consumption, seat belt use) were compared for drivers killed in crashes.
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Results: Convertibles had lower driver mortality rates and police-reported crash involvement rates based on vehicle years registered and VMT. However, the differences in driver death rates were not statistically significant. Driver deaths per 10 billion VMT were 11% lower for convertibles, and driver involvement in police-reported accidents per 10 million VMT were 6% lower. On average, convertibles traveled 1,595 fewer miles per year than non-convertible versions of these cars. Among fatally injured drivers, convertibles had higher ejection rates and behavioral differences were minimal.
Conclusions: Safety concerns associated with convertibles’ lack of substantial roof structure were not supported by the results of this study. Minimal differences in behavioral outcomes suggest that the study design minimized differences in study groups.
Practical applications: Convertibles do not pose a safety risk to consumers. Consumers interested in convertibles should consider crash test ratings, safety features, and the vehicle’s size and weight, just as they would if purchasing a non-convertible car. Looking for affordable car insurance throughout the Sunshine State? Whether you’re a longtime Panama City resident, recently moved to Tallahassee, or live anywhere else in the beautiful state of Florida, securing the right and affordable auto insurance policy can be crucial but often confusing. At Peoples First Insurance, we understand the importance of reliable coverage for all Florida drivers, not just those in Northwest Florida. We are committed
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