Does the size of your engine affect the severity of a crash?

The more gusto your car has, the faster you are likely to drive, and the more likelihood there is of having a car accident. Research shows that there is a direct connection between engine size and the occurrence of car accidents, personal injuries and claims, particularly in engines of over five litres.

Engine size and expensive accidents
High-speed accident repairs tend to be more expensive, due to the intensity of impact and damage caused, hence higher insurance premiums. People who drive a lot for work and who need a stronger car with a more powerful engine are automatically penalised.

If you want a more powerful car, choosing one that has an engine that is not over five litres can reduce your insurance bill and any possible damage caused during a car accident. Car accidents claim more lives than disease every year. Protect your family by choosing a car that gives you the road strength you need without an enormous fuel-guzzling engine.

Young and first time drivers who are more likely to have a road accident should buy a vehicle with a smaller engine as there's a higher chance they will be involved in a crash.

Engines in four-wheel drives can be extremely expensive to replace. Cars may appear robust on the road, but nonetheless don't guard against reckless drivers.

What is the safest kind of car?
The safest cars on the road actually have nothing whatsoever to do with engine size. Colour contributes more significantly to the likelihood of a serious crash than cars of other colours. People driving in silver cars are 50 % less likely to suffer serious personal injury in a car accident compared with drivers of other white cars. White, yellow, grey, red and blue cars carry about the same risk of injury. Those in black, brown or green cars are twice as likely to suffer a crash.

Sue Furness from the University of Auckland led the study but says the team does not know why silver cars appear safer: "We think it may be due to a combination of light colour and high reflectivity."

Furness suggests that increasing the number of light-coloured cars and silver cars on the road might provide a passive strategy to cut down the number of car accidents and personal injuries.

Car accident personal injury compensation
Thousands of car accidents take place every day on UK roads. Many of these, sadly, could be avoided if proper precautions were taken and people drove more carefully. Choosing the right kind of car and avoiding a larger car if you are a new driver can also dramatically reduce the number of car accidents that occur.

If you have been involved in a road traffic accident and have suffered a personal injury as a result, we may be able to help you. Our panel of expert car accident solicitors have extensive experience in personal injury cases and have an excellent success rate.

If the accident you had was not your fault and you've been hurt as a result, pick up the phone and call us today on 0808 143 43 42 to make a totally cost-free, no win, no fee compensation claim.