If you come across a posh German car in the UK, odds are its driver is a lot more likely to scare you than, say, someone behind the wheel of a Japanese or Italian model.
These numbers come directly from GoCompare Car Insurance, who looked into which drivers are statistically the most dangerous on UK roads. Apparently, the worst were those driving BMW 4-Series models, specifically the 420d, as reported by Cornwall Live.
According to the study, 420d drivers are the most likely to be convicted of an offense, as well as most likely to cause a collision on the road.
While BMW drivers top this list, people who own Mercedes and Audi models aren’t far behind. In terms of actual convictions, here’s how the top 10 shapes up: BMW 420d (17.1%), Audi A5 (15.5%), Mercedes C220 (14.8%), Mercedes E220 (14.8%), Jaguar XF (14.3%), Mercedes CLA (14.3%), Mercedes GLC (14.0%), Audi Q7 (13.8%), Land Rover Range Rover (13.8%) and Mercedes CLS (13.5%).
On the opposite side of the spectrum is the Vauxhall Agila at 4.1%, followed by the Hyundai i10 (4.3%), Nissan Micra (4.4%), Kia Picanto (4.4%), Hyundai Getz (4.5%), Suzuki Alto (4.6%), Ford Ka (4.6%), Skoda Citigo (4.7%), Honda Jazz (4.8%) and the Fiat Panda (4.9%).
When it comes to fault claims, the numbers tell a slightly different story, although not by much. The BMW 420d is still the main culprit at 21.3%, followed by the Mercedes E220 (19.3%), Mercedes GLC (19.3%), Audi A5 (19.1%), Audi Q5 (18.7%), Mercedes C220 (18.6%), Mercedes GLA (18.3%), Jaguar XF (18.2%), Audi A1 (18.2%) and the Skoda Superb (18.1%).
The models with the least amount of claims are the Peugeot 206 at 8.6%, Hyundai Getz (9.0%), Citroen C2 (9.0%), Nissan Almera (9.2%), Fiat Punto (9.6%), Peugeot 307 (9.9%), Ford Ka (10.0%), Citroen Xsara (10.1%), Nissan Micra (10.3%) and the Vauxhall Agila (10.3%).
“While it may be no surprise that higher-powered luxury cars are the marques of choice for some of the most dangerous drivers on the road, it’s not true of all owners of this makes,” stated Matt Oliver, spokesperson for GoCompare Car Insurance. “What is more worrying is the large number of these cars on the road right now. According to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), BMW, Mercedes and Audi all feature among the top ten most popular cars of 2018.”
“Typically, many of the cars listed in our top ten lists will be driven by those commuting or driving for longer periods on the motorway, at peak times in highly built-up areas, increasing the risk of an accident or motoring conviction. Claiming on insurance when you’re at fault is likely to result in the cost of your car insurance rocketing, more so than other claims, as you will be deemed a higher-risk driver.”