Does the Vehicle You Drive Predict How Likely It is You Will Get Into a Collision?

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Auto Insurance, Featured

The type of vehicle you drive is one of the multitude of factors car insurance companies look at when determining what your premium is. In that respect, when an insurer considers the type of vehicle you drive, they will look at the number of collisions other drivers have had with the same car.

So, can the vehicle you drive predict how likely it is you will get into a collision? We wanted to find out by putting it to a test.

Using RATESDOTCA’s data over the last two years, we examined the vehicle types motorists in Alberta and Ontario drive who’ve had at least one at-fault collision, and what the impact is on premiums. We started by categorizing the vehicles into four groups:

  • Sedans including hatchbacks and coupes
  • Minivans including vans
  • SUVs including crossovers
  • Pickup trucks

We further broke down the data by looking at each driver’s age group.

Collisions by vehicle type in Ontario

Over a two-year period, our data shows which vehicle types in Ontario have been involved in at least one at-fault car accident and the driver’s premium increase by percentage compared to a driver with no accidents:

  • In Ontario, minivans were the most likely vehicle type to be involved in at least onen at-fault collision (1.48%) followed closely by SUVs (1.41%).
  • Though pickup trucks (1.4%) are involved in fewer at-fault accidents than minivans and SUVs, drivers of pickups tend to see the higher premium increase (40.6%) for at least one n at-fault collision than other vehicle types.

How age groups and vehicle types compare in Ontario

When we categorized the vehicle types and accidents by age groups in We categorized the vehicle types and at-fault accidents by age groups in Ontario:

  • Baby Boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964)
  • Generation X (people born between 1965 and 1980)
  • Generation Y (people born between 1981 and 1996)
  • Generation Z (people born between 1997 and 2015)

Then we at how it affects premiums. Here’s what we found:

  • Baby Boomers tend to get into more at-fault collisions when driving sedans (1.5%) and face higher premium increases for one at-fault accident (62.8%) than other age groups.
  • By comparison to other age groups driving an SUV with an at-fault collision on their records, it’s the most experienced drivers who face the highest premium increases: Baby Boomers see an increase of 64%, and they are the most likely to get into a collision with an SUV (1.46%).
  • Gen Y drivers get the lowest premium increases for an at-fault collision across all vehicle categories.

Collisions by vehicle type in Alberta

Over a two-year period, our data shows which vehicle types in Alberta have been involved in at least one at-fault accident and the driver’s premium increase by percentage compared to a driver with no accidents:

  • More minivans in Alberta were involved in at-fault collisions (1.41%) than other vehicle types.
  • SUVsPickup trucks involved in an at-fault collision saw the biggest premium increase by 17.5% compared to other vehicle types.

How age groups and vehicle types compare in Alberta

We We categorized the vehicle types and at-fault accidents by age groups in Alberta:

  • Baby Boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964)
  • Generation X (people born between 1965 and 1980)
  • Generation Y (people born between 1981 and 1996)
  • Generation Z (people born between 1997 and 2015)

Then and how it affects premiums. Here’s what we found:

  • By generations, Gen X drivers get into more at-fault accidents than other drivers whether they drive a sedan (1.43%), minivan (1.65%), or SUV (1.38%).
  • The youngest drivers on the road (Gen Z) get into the fewest at-fault accidents when driving sedans (1.18%), minivans (1%), or pickup trucks (1.25%).
  • All age groups register nearly the same amount of at-fault accidents when driving pickup trucks, but it’s Baby Boomers who pay the highest price in premium hikes (39.2%) compared to other age groups and drivers with no accidents.
  • Gen Y drivers are more likely to be in at-fault collisions with an SUV (1.4%) than other demographics, but they see the lowest premium increase (2.7%) compared to all other age groups. It’s Baby Boomers who see the steepest premium increases for an at-fault accident when driving an SUV (28%), followed by Gen Xers (13.9%).

Always shop around for auto insurance

Everyone wants to find ways to save money on car insurance.

Whether you’ve had the misfortune of being in a collision or not – and regardless of the type of vehicle you drive – the best way to find the lowest possible insurance premium is to compare policies and premiums.

Don’t wait for your renewal date to arrive or for the possibility of a car accident to happen. Taking a few minutes to shop your rate a couple times a year can help ensure you’re getting the coverage you need that suits your budget.