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IIHS: Pickup trucks skimp on passenger-side safety


Insurance Institute for Highway Safety small overlap front passenger side crash test photo:{ }The dummy's position in relation to the door frame and dashboard after the crash test indicates that the passenger's survival space was not maintained well. (Image courtesy of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety){p}{/p}
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety small overlap front passenger side crash test photo:The dummy's position in relation to the door frame and dashboard after the crash test indicates that the passenger's survival space was not maintained well. (Image courtesy of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)

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A round of crash-test results released Thursday by the IIHS show that even the newest pickup truck designs aren't as safe for front-seat passengers as they are for drivers.

Most of the new trucks tested by the IIHS, including the redesigned 2019 Chevrolet Silverado and 2019 GMC Sierra, produced eyebrow-raising results in the small-overlap crash test that simulates impact with an object such as utility pole.

READ THIS: Most new pickup trucks feature poor headlights, IIHS says

Only one pickup truck on the market—the 2019 Honda Ridgeline—earned a Top Safety Pick award. Even its record is full of blemishes including an "Acceptable" rating in the challenging small-overlap test and "Marginal" ratings for the effectiveness of its seatbelts and an elevated risk of lower leg and foot injury.


The 2019 Ford F-150 was the only truck to ace the IIHS' crash testing, but it missed out on an award due to headlights that rate "Poor." A vehicle can be rated a Top Safety Pick even with the "Acceptable" score this year if its headlights are effective.

Here's a look at how the trucks performed in the passenger-side small-overlap test:

Good:

  • 2019 Ford F-150
  • 2019 Nissan Titan
  • 2019 Ram 1500

Acceptable:

  • 2019 Honda Ridgeline (Top Safety Pick)
  • 2019 Toyota Tacoma

Marginal:

  • 2019 Chevrolet Colorado
  • 2019 Chevrolet Silverado
  • 2019 GMC Canyon
  • 2019 GMC Sierra
  • 2019 Nissan Titan

Poor:

  • 2019 Toyota Tundra


ALSO SEE: IIHS reveals list of 2019 Top Safety Pick+ winners

The IIHS said that pickup trucks took the longest to adapt to its driver-side small-overlap crash test and it's that it's not surprised that they lag on passenger-side safety.

"The pickup class still has a lot of work to do," IIHS chief research officer David Zuby said in a statement.

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