New study uncovers a major safety concern: Rear seats in most pickup trucks found to be unsafe

In the event of a collision, the front seats of a pickup truck are the safest place to be, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s new crash test evaluating rear-seat passenger safety. Unfortunately, four out of five compact pickup trucks in the study received substandard ratings. Only the 2022-2023 Nissan Frontier received an “acceptable” rating.

The study revealed that rear seat belts need improvement, as head and chest injuries pose a high risk in most cases. The 2023 Nissan Frontier, along with the 2022 model, was the only truck that earned an “acceptable” rating in the crash test.

The 2022-2023 Jeep Gladiator, 2022-2023 Toyota Tacoma, and 2022 Chevrolet Colorado received “poor” ratings, while the 2022-2023 Ford Ranger scored “marginal,” the second-lowest safety rating. The study used crew cab models, which have full-sized back seats and the most rear passenger room among cab styles.

All vehicles in the study underwent an updated “moderate overlap” crash test, simulating a head-on collision at 40 mph. This test represents a scenario where a vehicle drifts across a roadway’s centerline, as explained by Consumer Reports.

First of its kind

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s updated safety test is the first to include a crash dummy in a vehicle’s second row. Many smaller vehicles struggled to earn high marks in testing, as reported by the consumer advocacy publication.

However, these test results could prompt automakers to invest more time in developing enhanced back-seat safety features, according to Emily Thomas, Consumer Reports’ manager for auto safety.