Small Trucks Are Not Getting Any Safer

The IIHS gives a vehicle a "good" rating when the dummy remains in position during the crash. The crash test results should also not indicate an excessive risk of injury to the head, neck, chest, or thigh.

IIHS President David Harkey said the rear passenger dummy's head on the trucks tested came "dangerously close to the front seatback." This indicates that the rear seat belts on small trucks should be improved tolessen traffic fatalities further.

The low safety rating on pickup trucks tested can also be attributed to the IIHS'updated moderate overlap front crash test, implemented last year. The IIHS shared that its updated assessment revealed that rear occupants are more likely at risk of incurring a fatal injury.

The reason is that the front seats have more safety features that prevent the risk of severe or fatal injuries. Rear occupants don't have the luxury of having an airbag or an advanced seatbelt to minimize the impact of a collision. Despite this, the IIHS remains firm in stating that the back seat is the safest place for young children since an inflating front airbag could cause injury.

The more stringent assessment has alsoproved to be a challenge among small carsin the US, wherein the rear dummy showed the risk of incurring internal injuries. The rear dummy aboard small cars also showed a moderate or high risk of head, neck, or chest injuries.