These Are the 10 Most Dangerous Car Brands on New Jersey Roads

Alright, New Jersey drivers, before you get behind the wheel today and your road rage flares up, you might want to know where your car lands on this list.

A new study analyzed crash data and vehicle sales across 32 major car brands, ranking the brands by their fatal-crash rates on American roads. The study measured fatal accidents per 100,000 vehicles sold, which helps level the playing field between brands that sell millions of cars and brands that sell far fewer.

And there are a couple of surprises in the top ten.

The 10 Most Dangerous Car Brands in 2026

Dodge tops the list, and it's not even close.

The Dodge Charger, Challenger, and Durango were involved in 758 fatal crashes, giving Dodge a rate of 1,208.9 fatal crashes per 100,000 vehicles sold.

Dodge Challenger - Photo: Chris Coleman

Sure, the muscle-car appeal and hundreds of horsepower are real (and very appealing), but so is the risk.

Fiat comes in second at 1,197.3 per 100,000 vehicles sold, which is quite remarkable considering you don't see too many of them on the roads in New Jersey.

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Here's the Full Top Ten

1. Dodge — 1,208.9 fatal crashes per 100,000 (Durango, Charger, Challenger)
2. Fiat — 1,197.3 (500, 500X)
3. Jaguar — 464.3 (F-Pace, E-Pace, XF)
4. Alfa Romeo — 407.2 (Stelvio, Giulia)
5. Nissan — 254.5 (Rogue, Sentra, Altima)
6. GMC — 241.5 (Sierra, Yukon, Terrain)
7. Chevrolet — 239.8 (Silverado, Equinox, Trax)
8. Jeep — 235.7 (Grand Cherokee, Wrangler, Compass)
9. Ford — 234.8 (Explorer, Escape, Transit)
10. Toyota — 218.2 (RAV4, Camry, Tacoma)

What the Numbers Actually Mean

A few things are worth noting before you panic about your RAV4 or speed over to your local dealership to trade in your Yukon.

First, this study was conducted by a personal injury law firm, so it's worth taking the framing with a grain of salt. The firm explains how it calculated the crash rates, but the underlying data and methodology deserve some scrutiny before treating these rankings as a definitive measure of vehicle safety. Long story short, if you are buying a vehicle, do your own homework.

And another thing — don't interpret this data to mean that every Dodge, Fiat, or Toyota on the road in the Garden State is inherently dangerous or that their drivers are asshol-- er, reckless.

That said, the Dodge number is pretty alarming. And seeing Toyota and Ford on the list reminds us that no brand is automatically safe just because it's popular, well-reviewed, or a TV commercial says it's "safe."

Jeep - Photo: Chris Coleman

And keep this in mind: just because you drive an expensive car doesn't mean you're driving a safer car. Jaguar, for example, has an average starting price of more than $51,000 and still landed third on the list.

Paying more for a vehicle doesn't necessarily mean you're buying one with a lower fatal-crash rate.

Chris Coleman is a South Jersey native and has been a cornerstone of the Atlantic City radio market since 1998. He serves as Brand Manager for WPG Talk Radio 95.5 and afternoon on-air personality for Cat Country 107.3. A five-time President's Circle award winner and Townsquare Media's 2024 Content Creator of the Year, Chris covers news, events, and stories of interest across Southern New Jersey. Story tips: chris.coleman@townsquaremedia.com