So how do you protect yourself?

Size appears to be part of the answer. Subcompact cars, the IIHS says, “had the highest driver death rates, averaging 153 deaths per million registered vehicle years. Very large luxury cars had the lowest, averaging only four deaths.”

But size alone isn’t the answer. It might also benefit you to avoid pickup trucks unless you need one. Six of the 10 vehicles most likely to kill the other driver were trucks. Only one truck – the GMC Canyon Crew Cab – appears on the list of cars with the lowest driver death rate.

And, sadly, spending more can protect you. “Crash avoidance systems and other advanced safety features are most often standard equipment on luxury vehicles,” the IIHS notes.