I don't know if those reports take into account year of manufacture? I mean, if someone today crashes their 1995 1T, does it count as part of the stats, even though it's lack of VSC has long been addressed?
In the end, we drive fast, take chances, and physics will not be overruled by the electronic wizards: it's still pretty easy to get in over your head and past the point of no return.
Tin foil hat on: easier than ever to finance your way into something big and expensive--and heavy. Then have no money to keep it in good shape (tires and brakes). Now people have resorted to lousy tires and brakes in the past, but I have to wonder, if they weren't to some degree limited into smaller vehicles that maybe they were more able to walk away from in the past when they got into an accident? That's pure speculation, probably fueled by parallel threads here griping about too-long auto loans clouding my mind.
I'm hoping to get my daughter into something with curtain airbags (that should automatically come with ABS), but she's been getting the most seat time in my car, which lacks 'em. Some days I wonder if I should spend the coin on my own safety (25k/year driver) or if I feel lucky. Probably wouldn't matter, I've watched my driving, and I can hang with a good chunk of the MA drivers who I learned my habits from.