DEARBORN, MI – Earning 5-star ratings in both government crash tests, in addition to the "Top Safety Pick" award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the all-new 2009 Ford F-150 is packed with a list of advanced standard safety features.

The 2009 F-150 – the 2009 Motor Trend Truck of the Year – recently earned 5-star frontal- and 5-star side-impact crash-test ratings, the highest possible scores in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests.

"The new 2009 F-150 also offers more advanced safety features as standard equipment than any other half-ton truck, part of our aggressive roll-out of safety for millions of customers," said Susan Cischke, Ford's group vice president of Sustainability, Environment, and Safety Engineering.

The new F-150 led Ford's F-Series lineup to a 32nd straight year of truck sales leadership in 2008, and for the 27th year in a row, the F-Series is once again America's best-selling vehicle of any type – car, crossover, SUV, truck or van.

"Ford's F-Series sales have picked up pace since the launch of the new F-150," said Doug Scott, Ford truck marketing manager. "Purpose-made 'Built Ford Tough' trucks helped lay the foundation of this great country and growing F-Series sales will be one of the early indicators of an economic recovery as the country begins rebuilding."

New to the 2009 F-150 is Ford's standard Safety Canopy side-curtain air bag rollover protection system, which helps protect front and rear outboard passengers in both rollovers and side-impact crashes. The air bag is designed to stay inflated for several seconds for additional protection in rollover crashes, which often last longer than side-impact crashes.

Ford's Personal Safety System is made up of a suite of protection technologies, including dual-stage front air bags and occupant weight classification, working together to help protect occupants. Added to this is a Ford first – the new "K-bag," a front seat dual-chamber side air bag named for its unique shape, designed to help protect the rib cage from excessive crash forces during a side impact.

The new F-150 has standard safety and towing aid technologies – including Advance Trac with Roll Stability Control (RSC), a first for the F-150 – that help customers more confidently use the truck's segment-leading towing and hauling capability. The Ford-exclusive stability control system uses a gyroscopic sensor that uniquely helps detect and prevent both skidding and rollovers.

The system offers as standard integrated Trailer Sway Control technology, which helps determine from the yaw motion of the truck if the trailer is swaying and takes measures to help bring it under control. An available Integrated Trailer Brake Controller technology allows direct operation of the trailer's electronic brakes with more confidence than typical aftermarket systems.

Tow Haul Mode changes shift points under acceleration, keeping the truck at a higher rpm and further up in the power range to improve the towing experience by avoiding unnecessary shifts in rolling terrain. The technology also prevents the transmission from shifting up in gear when the vehicle crests a hill, and provides downhill brake support that allows the transmission to downshift, letting engine-compression braking slow the vehicle and maintain a steady speed.

The new 2009 F-150 is built at Ford's Dearborn (Mich.) Truck Plant and Kansas City (Mo.) Assembly Plant.