Crash Tests Show Pickup Trucks Aren't as Safe for Families as They Could Be

Engineers and designers have worked hard to ensure that passenger vehicles are able to keep all occupants as injury-free as possible in the event of a collision. Cars, wagons, minivans and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) frequently nail testing the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) conduct.

Why is it so difficult for automakers to replicate those results in trucks?

"As with other vehicle types, we've seen big improvements in how well large pickups are performing in crash tests over the years. Early on, we saw a lot of structural issues when we first started testing vehicles in offset crashes in the 90s. With each new crash test, automakers have responded, and we've seen consistent improvements in structure as well as restraint systems," Joe Nolan, senior vice president of vehicle research at IIHS told Newsweek.

In the latest round of IIHS crash testing, the 2023 Ram 1500, 2023 Ford F-150 and 2023 Toyota Tundra, all in crew cab configuration, all earned Good side crash test ratings. The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 crew cab was rated one notch lower as Acceptable.

However, in the moderate overlap front crash test, which has been modified in recent years to emphasize back seat passenger safety, the Tundra was the highest-rated full-size truck, getting a Marginal rating, which is a step lower than Acceptable. The F-150, Ram 1500 and Silverado were all rated as Poor, a notch below Acceptable.

"While the front seat occupants have really benefited from improvements, we haven't seen as big an improvement in the rear. That's what this updated moderate overlap test is all about – getting the automakers to think hard about making frontal crashes as survivable for those in the rear as those up front," Nolan said.

IIHS uses these ratings to determine which vehicles earn their Top Safety Pick designation.

The organization noted that, "All four pickups provided good protection in the front seat. But the restraint systems in the rear were inadequate." IIHS's measurements indicated that chest, head and neck injuries were likely for second-row passengers in the Ford and Ram trucks as a result of the collision. In Silverado, those injuries were slightly less, but still present. Tundra rear-seat occupants had a high risk of chest injuries because of poor belt positioning, and head and neck injury possibilities were slightly elevated.

"These four pickups demonstrated similar issues with regards to the second row in this new round of tests. In all cases, the rear-seat dummy did something called "submarining," where the lap belt slides off the ideal location on the pelvis and into the abdomen," Nolan explained.

"This is dangerous for several reasons. First, it puts the forces of the lap belt into the abdomen, increasing chance of injury. It also results in the occupant being out of position, so the shoulder belt can't properly do its job. So, where we see submarining, we will also likely see high injury risk to the chest and neck."

"Safety is a top priority, and the 2023 Ford F-150 meets or exceeds all current safety regulations and requirements," Ford spokesperson pointed out to Newsweek. "IIHS recently changed their moderate front overlap test procedure for the second row. F-150 continues to achieve a 'Good' overall rating in the original moderate overlap test for the front row and for the updated side impact test. F-150 also earned an IIHS 2022CY Top Safety Pick and the 2023 MY F-150 has a 5-star overall NHTSA rating, which is among the top on the market today."

Nolan advises that automakers now need to work to protect rear-seat passengers as much as they protect front-row passengers. "What the automakers need to do now is examine the overall rear-seat restraint system, which includes the belts and seats, to make sure the people sitting back there are well controlled by the restraints in frontal crashes. We think the automakers can and will address the issues we uncovered in these frontal tests," he said.

Results of crash tests done by IIHS are published on their website and can be sorted by vehicle make, model, trim level, drivetrain and model year, where applicable.

"Our consumer ratings test programs give car shoppers important comparison information when looking for a safe vehicle. By consulting our ratings, consumers can see how a given vehicles performs in a host of crash tests and crash avoidance evaluations, and they can compare vehicles within a given class to help inform their purchase decision. The tests also incentivize automakers to make improvements so that their vehicles are more competitive from a safety standpoint," Nolan said.

Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota recently refreshed its 1500 pickup truck. Ram will release a redesigned 1500 pickup truck early next year.

"We routinely consider third-party ratings and factor them into our product-development process, as appropriate. We engineer our vehicles for real-world performance. The protection of our customers is an integral part of the upfront design of a vehicle's structure. Every Stellantis model meets or exceeds all applicable federal vehicle safety standards," a Ram spokesperson told Newsweek.

Chevrolet and Toyota were contacted for comment on the IIHS ratings by Newsweek via email but did not respond to the requests by the time of article publication.