Modern convertibles are just as safe for passengers as regular cars according to a new study

• A common concern people have with convertibles is that they aren't as safe as regular cars.
• A new study conducted by IIHS concludes that convertibles are no less dangerous than their non-convertible counterparts.
• These results only apply to convertibles that are 1 to 5 years old, however.

Those previously hesitant to get into a modern-day convertible out of safety concerns can rest easier now. A new study shows that they are just as safe as non-convertible cars.

Even though they lack a fixed roof, which is what many understand to be an integral part of a car's structure, late-model convertibles are actually no riskier than their roofed counterparts, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which analyzed crash and fatality rates.

In a new paper titled "Crash Rates of Convertible Cars," the agency found that both crash and driver death rates were lower for convertibles than non-convertible versions of the same cars, though the differences in driver death rates were not statistically significant.

Eric Teoh, IIHS director of statistical services and the author of the paper, compared rates of driver deaths and police-reported crash involvements between 1 to 5-year-old convertibles and non-convertibles during 2014 to 2018. He also compared crash circumstances — point of impact, rollover, ejection — and behavioral outcomes — speeding, alcohol impairment, seat belt use — for drivers who were killed in crashes.

Teoh found that, for convertibles, driver deaths per 10 billion vehicle miles traveled were 11% lower while driver involvements in police-reported crashes per 10 million vehicle miles traveled were 6% lower.

He also found that convertibles are driven 1,595 fewer miles on average per year than their non-convertible versions. And that, among fatally injured drivers, convertibles resulted in higher rates of ejection.

Despite this, however, Teoh concluded, "Safety concerns associated with convertibles' lack of substantial roof structure were not supported by the results of this study. Minimal differences in behavioral outcomes suggest that the study design minimized differences in the study groups."

It's important to reiterate here that IIHS only tested cars that were 1 to 5 years old. These are cars that are built to adhere to modern safety standards. If the thought of riding in your uncle's 1966 Lincoln Continental still gives you pause, that's probably a good instinct to have.

Also, it's safe to drive a convertible during the COVID-19 pandemic, too.