If you are car buying, chances are you have looked at weighing the pros and cons of an SUV (sport utility vehicle) or truck versus a sedan. One of the biggest factors is safety and another may be ease of access and gas mileage.

The law of physics dictates that SUVs are safer because of the higher center of gravity due to the larger size and weight creating more force and less likely to be moved by a smaller sedan. This is the same reason that buses do not have seat belts on them. Buses do not have seat belts because manufacturers of the buses believe that the high center of gravity makes them extremely unlikely to be impacted strong enough by other cars to make much of an impact on the passengers inside them.

Consumer reports posted a study in 2013 and the study found that the odds of death were 7.6 times higher for the car driver than the SUV driver. In crashes where the car had a better front crash-test rating than the SUV did, the car’s driver fared a bit better but was still four and a half times more likely to die than the SUV driver. (Watch crash-test videos.)

However, Consumer reports also states that high center of gravity vehicles are more prone to rollover accidents that are deadly. However, SUV made in 2012 and after are now required to have Electronic stability control (ESC), which prevents rollover car accidents. However, most people that died in rollover car accidents were not wearing their seat belts.

Head on collisions are not the only thing you want to think of, though. Most car accidents are not SUV versus cars in head on collisions. Most car accidents are actually rear end car accidents and side swipe car accidents, even though the most deadly are “T-Bone” and head on car accidents. There are many other safety concerns you want to think of like cars that are up to date with the latest technology including as antilock brakes, traction control, back up cameras, blind spot warning indicators, curtain air bags, stability control, and other accident avoidance features.

Check out consumer reports or other car reviewing companies to figure out the right, safe car or SUV for you and your family. USA Today posted the 2018 IIHS safety picks in December 2017.