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IIHS: newer pickups less safe for passengers than drivers

On Behalf of | Apr 4, 2019 | Motor Vehicle Accidents |

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has been crash-testing modern two-row pickup trucks for passenger safety, and their results may be discouraging to many Louisiana residents. It turns out that passengers in these pickups are more likely to suffer injury or death than the drivers.

The IIHS analyzed 10 pickups and found that driver side safety was “good” in all but two cases. The Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tundra received a score of “marginal.” However, these results are favorable compared to those for passenger safety.

Half the pickups’ performance rated as “marginal” when it came to protecting passengers from collisions with objects or other vehicles. Four of the vehicles were General Motors products: the Chevrolet Colorado, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500 and GMC Canyon. The Nissan Frontier ranked fifth.

The Toyota Tundra performed the worst with a score of “poor.” IIHS researchers said that the vehicle struggled to maintain its structure in all the crash tests that it underwent. Part of the reason may be that, unlike some of the other vehicles, which have been overhauled recently, the Tundra’s last major redesign was in 2014.

Two pickups, the Toyota Tacoma and Honda Ridgeline, were deemed “acceptable.” The highest rating of “good” was given to the remaining three vehicles, which were the Ford F-150, Ram 1500 and Nissan Titan.

When passengers are injured in motor vehicle accidents, they may be able to file a claim against the driver they were with if he or she was the negligent party. If another driver was involved, victims may file against that person or against both drivers if they share the blame. The case can become complicated very quickly, which is why victims may want a lawyer to assist them, especially with the proving of negligence and with litigation. If possible, an attorney may negotiate for a settlement.