Video: Ford F-150 Leads Pack in Latest Pickup Crash Tests
IIHS recently conducted a round of crash tests for large pickup trucks, and the results were mostly disappointing except for the Ford F-150 SuperCab.
Source: IIHS
In a recent round of crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Ford F-150 SuperCab was the only large pickup truck to earn “good” scores across the board in the small overlap front crash test and qualify for the Top Safety Pick award.
Three other trucks — the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Double Cab, GMC Sierra 1500 Double Cab and Toyota Tundra Double Cab — earned “acceptable” overall scores in the challenging small overlap front crash test, IIHS said. This test replicates what happens when a vehicle runs off the road and hits a tree or pole, or clips another vehicle that has crossed the centerline.
The other large pickup trucks evaluated — the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab, GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab, Toyota Tundra CrewMax, Ram 1500 Quad Cab and Ram 1500 Crew Cab — drew “marginal” overall ratings in the small overlap front crash test.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test Ratings for Large Pickups
Source: IIHS
Good = G Acceptable = A Marginal = M Poor = P
IIHS evaluated two body styles of each 2016 model-year pickup — crew cab and extended cab. The institute decided last year it would test the two most popular variants of large pickups instead of just one.
The 2016 Ford F-150 SuperCab joins the F-150 SuperCrew in earning a 2016 Top Safety Pick award when equipped with Ford’s optional “basic”-rated forward collision warning system. Vehicles that earn a "basic" rating for front crash prevention plus "good" ratings in the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint evaluations qualify for Top Safety Pick.
“Ford is leading the way among large pickup manufacturers when it comes to protecting people in a range of crashes and offering technology to warn drivers of imminent frontal crashes,” said Raul Arbelaez, vice president of the IIHS Vehicle Research Center. “We commend Ford for taking last year’s test results to heart and upgrading protection for SuperCab occupants in small overlap crashes.”
The 2015 Ford F-150 SuperCab had drawn a "marginal" overall rating in the small overlap crash test.
To learn more details about how the other large pickup truck models fared during crash tests, click on the photo or link below the headline to view a video report from IIHS.
IIHS said it plans to test the redesigned 2016 Nissan Titan and Honda Ridgeline later this year.
More Safety
Nexar-Nauto Merger Aims to Give Fleets Better Safety Intelligence Through Larger Driving Dataset
Stefan Heck tells Automotive Fleet that combining more than 10 billion miles of driving history with Nexar's AI models will give fleets deeper insights into driver risk and roadway conditions than either company could provide independently.
Read More →
Don't Wait for a Crisis: 5 Ways to Build Mental Health Into Your Fleet Safety Program
For Suicide Prevention Month, fleet and safety leaders have an opportunity to put mental health where it belongs: at the center of workplace safety.
Read More →
How Camera Data Can Strengthen a Fleet’s Insurance Renewal
Insights from a commercial insurance carrier and a broker show how fleets can turn video telematic data, driver coaching, and improved claims results into a stronger case at insurance renewal.
Read More →
The Safest Fleets Aren’t the Ones with the Most Technology
You’ve made the telematics investment. Here’s how to capture the other half of its value and build the safest fleet on the road.
Read More →
Hidden in Plain Sight: Fleet Compliance Risks
Fleet compliance isn't just about having policies — it's about consistently enforcing them. This practical guide reveals six hidden compliance risks common in public sector and shared fleet operations and outlines proven strategies to improve visibility, accountability, and audit readiness
Read More →
NETS Sets 2026 Fleet Safety Benchmark Conference for Indianapolis
The Sept. 15–17 program will feature fleet benchmarking data, case studies, emerging technologies, and implementation strategies while running alongside the NSC Safety Congress & Expo.
Read More →
Off-the-Job Crashes Account for 43% of Employers’ $61.7 Billion Crash Burden
NETS quantifies costs dispersed across fleet, risk, HR, and other departments while providing new per-crash benchmarks for employers.
Read More →
Ram Recalls More Than 1.27 Million 1500 Pickups for Seat Belt Anchor Issue
The recall affects certain 2019-2026 Ram 1500 pickups that may have improperly attached second-row seat belt buckle anchors.
Read More →
How Better Visibility Cut Speeding Violations by 48%
Fleet leaders don't need more data, they need clearer visibility into what the data is saying. This case study explores how one utility replaced speeding-event counts with a single metric — miles driven in violation — to strengthen safety and significantly reduce speeding violations.
Read More →
Operation Safe Driver Week: Why the Industry's Oldest Safety Campaign Still Matters to Fleets
A look at how a 2007 enforcement initiative became one of the most consequential weeks on the fleet safety calendar, and what it means for your drivers in 2026.
Read More →