These highway giants may dominate the road in size, but they leave a fatal trail of destruction.
The Hines Act reveals the 10 most dangerous vehicles to other drivers and pedestrians, based on annual driver fatality rates for all vehicles involved.
The Ram 3500 is the most dangerous pickup truck for other drivers on the road, but it is one of the safest for those who drive it, according to a September 2026 Hazard Gaps report, comparing other drivers’ deaths to those of its own driver.
The research examined nearly 200 vehicle models to determine which ones pose the most risk to other drivers while keeping their own drivers safe. The study looked at two death rates: how many drivers of a given vehicle die in a crash and, separately, how many drivers of other cars die when they hit that vehicle.
Both rates are calculated per million vehicle-years on the road, so common and rarer models can be compared equally. The two fatality rates were combined to reveal which cars pose an additional danger to other drivers.
A recent study found that an adult pedestrian struck by an SUV is 44 percent more likely to die than a pedestrian struck by a smaller car. For children, this figure rises to 82%.
SUV dimensions are being questioned. In the UK, some experts are already calling on the government to restrict the size of SUVs sold to the public. A Hines Act expert said that’s unlikely to happen in the United States because big trucks are part of the “culture” here.
Here are the top 10 vehicles that other drivers should watch out for on the road:
- Ram 3500 Crew Cab Long Bed, 4WD
- Chevrolet Silverado 3500 Crew Cab 4WD
- Ram 2500 Crew Cab Short Bed 4WD
- Ford F-150 SuperCrew 2WD
- Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Crew Cab 4WD
- Volkswagen Atlas 2WD
- Ram 1500 Quad 2WD
- Cadillac XT5 2WD
- GMC Sierra 2500 Crew Cab 4WD
- Ram 1500 Crew Cab Short Bed 2WD
1. Ram 3500 Crew Cab Long Bed, 4WD
- Death of own driver: 37 per million vehicle years
- Deaths of other drivers: 204 per million vehicle years
- Weight: 6,872 lbs, among the heaviest trucks
- Liability actions for damage caused to the property of others: 93% above average
The Ram 3500 Crew Cab Long Bed 4WD ranks as the most dangerous vehicle to other motorists on U.S. roads. The driver of the other vehicle is five times more likely to be killed than the occupant of the Ram in a collision with this truck. Weighing nearly 6,900 pounds, the Ram also generates 90 percent more third-party damage insurance claims than the average vehicle.
2. The Chevrolet Silverado 3500 Crew Cab 4WD
The Chevrolet Silverado 3500 Crew Cab 4WD came in second place. 10 of its own drivers die per million vehicle years, one of the lowest rates among the cars studied. But other drivers die at a rate nearly 13 times higher, with 126 deaths. At more than 7,000 pounds, it’s the heaviest model on U.S. roads and faces nearly 60 percent more liability claims than other cars.
3. The Ram 2500 Crew Cab Short Bed, 4WD
The Ram 2500 Crew Cab Short Box 4WD is the second Ram model to make the top five. An outside driver is five times more likely to die than the person driving the Ram themselves. The 2500 model weighs more than 6.7 thousand pounds, almost the same weight as the Ram 3500, and its liability claims are also 63% higher than other cars.
4. The Ford F-150 SuperCrew 2WD
The Ford F-150 SuperCrew 2WD weighs 4.5K pounds, about 2.3K pounds less than the Ram 3500. It’s Ford’s best-selling standard pickup, but another driver is more than 14 times more likely to die than the person behind the wheel of the F-150.
5. The Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Crew Cab 4WD
The Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Crew Cab 4WD rounds out the top five most dangerous vehicles in America with a weight of 6.6K pounds. Its own drivers die at a rate of 21 per million vehicle years, and other drivers die five times more, at 111 per million vehicle years.
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