Pickup Trucks Fall Short in IIHS Top Safety Awards

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded particular vehicles and automakers because of their impressive safety features. Compared to last year, more cars made it to the list—however, the awards for pickup trucks only applied to those with specific headlight improvements.

How did the popular 2022 pickup truck models perform during the IIHS testing, and why did they fail to get the highest safety award designation?

Trucks that won

For 2022, only Hyundai Santa Cruz, Ford F-150, and Ram 1500 are the only pickup winners on the Top Safety Pick. The three automakers made significant developments in their headlight quality.

Hyundai Santa Cruz

The Crew Cab variant of the Santa Cruz won an IIHS award in the small truck category. The SEL Premium and Limited trims (applied only to 2022 models) have a good overall rating for two LED projector headlight variations.

Compact trucks are not as large as full-size variants, but they have immense potential. Only a few options are available in the small truck segment, including Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz. They go neck-and-neck when it comes to popularity, especially among young truck buyers.

It started as a concept vehicle, but Hyundai decided to turn it into a production model. Although small, it helped Hyundai climb the rankings—as it is the best-selling compact truck in the market today.

Ford F-150

The Crew Cab and Extended Cab of the 2022 F-150 earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick award in the large pickup segment. These truck variants received a good overall rating (applied only to the 2021 and 2022 models) for three LED projector headlight variations in the following trim levels:

• Lariat trim equipped with 502A package
• Raptor trim equipped with 801A package
• King Ranch trim
• Platinum trim
• Limited trim
• Tremor trim equipped with 402A package

Reliability is a vital characteristic when it comes to purchasing pickup trucks. Aside from the head-turning looks, F-150s are built with engines and suspension parts that provide excellent towing and payload capacities. It is also a powerful vehicle that will enable you to drive them on both concrete or gravel roads, as well as bumpy trails.

Because of its popularity, many aftermarket parts are available for you to customize. If you wish to enhance the looks or increase the performance, this American pickup truck is mod-friendly. For those who want to do some modifications, you can find many truck accessories available, so turning your simple F-150 into a reliable workhorse or a powerful towing rig is possible.

Ram 1500

The Ram 1500 Crew Cab has also been awarded the Top Safety Pick for the large truck category. The award only applies to the models with optional front crash prevention and specific LED projector headlights.

The Ram 1500’s Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning-Plus met the test requirements. The optional feature underwent a forward collision warning test and received a superior rating. It was also tested for 12 mph and 25 mph, effectively avoiding collisions. The good overall evaluation rating was applied to particular 2019 to 2022 models to four different headlight variations in the following trim levels:

• Longhorn trim
• Limited trim
• TRX trim

The 2022 Ram 1500 earned the highest ranking for the full-size truck segment in Consumer Reports. Many people were impressed by its comfy rear seat, spacious cargo area, and ZF eight-speed transmission. Ram’s famous rival, the Ford F-150, only came in second place in the report.

Criteria for the awards

The IIHS is an independent, non-profit organization established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. They are dedicated to reducing injuries, property damage, and deaths caused by motor vehicle crashes. They do it through research, tests, and evaluations.

IIHS awards automobiles and carmakers to help buyers find models that effectively protect drivers and passengers in minor road accidents or serious crashes. They test and research the quality of the parts. They also expand the odds to check the safety of the vehicle. For automakers that show they are committed to protecting the passengers, the institute gives the Top Safety Pick+ merit.

IIHS recognized 65 vehicles in 2022-year models for the higher-tier award due to their better-quality headlight offerings. Additionally, 36 models earned the lower-tier Top Safety Pick award because of their decent ratings in front crash prevention, acceptable headlight quality, and good evaluation results on the vehicle-to-pedestrian and vehicle-to-vehicle tests.

Importance of headlight tests

All vehicle headlights have a crucial role in preventing nighttime crashes. However, not all headlights perform their job efficiently. The design, technology, bulb type, and how the lights are positioned affect the luminosity of the headlight onto the path.

In the United States, many fatal crashes happen due to a lack of lighting. More than a quarter of road accidents occurred during nighttime. The government regulations on headlights were not strictly implemented, which resulted in a considerable variation in headlight performance. The rules did not guarantee the consistency of headlights in actual on-road use.

Despite the recent developments in lighting technology, many vehicles today have insufficient and ineffective headlights. Back then, cars only have halogen bulbs. Later, they switched to xenon and high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps. Nowadays, LEDs are used for automotive lighting because of their energy efficiency.

How IIHS test the pickup’s headlight

During the headlight testing, the sensors on the track measure the distance of illumination from automotive light extending with an intensity of at least 5 lux. The lux is the illuminance unit, which refers to the amount of light dropping on a surface. As the vehicle travels on curves and straights, the engineers of IIHS calculate the reach of the truck lights.

They measure the low beams and high beams of the headlights through different approaches such as:

• Straightaway
• Gradual left curve (800-foot radius)
• Gradual right curve (800-foot radius)
• Sharp left curve (500-foot radius)
• Sharp right curve (500-foot radius)

The engineers get the visibility measurements on the right edge of the roadway on each approach. The travel lane's left edge measurements are recorded on the curves. The second measurement on the straightaway is taken at a point corresponding to the left edge of a two-lane road.

The tests allow the engineers to gauge the illumination on both the left and right sides of a straightaway. Most headlights have a steep drop-off in light located on the left side of a straight road. It helps prevent glare from approaching vehicles.

Safety ratings for safe drivers

A MotorTrend article featured Hyundai Santa Cruz, Ford F-150, and Ram 1500 as “safest trucks you can buy in 2022.”

The unibody front-wheel-drive Santa Cruz is a practical truck for minor work and laidback weekend adventures. It is tailored for urban environments and young truck buyers. F-150 received the Truck of the Year awards because of its utility, handy features, and excellent towing and hauling specs. Last but not least, the Ram 1500 successfully merged the truck’s capability with comfort, modern design, technology, and safety.

When looking for a vehicle, safety-minded shoppers always seek the IIHS ratings and recommendations. It is one of the respected organizations that educate consumers, policymakers, and professionals on the safety ratings of different vehicles.