IIHS: work trucks fail crash-avoidance tests

The IIHS evaluated 11 commercial vehicles, four Class 3 pickups and seven cargo vans, in vehicle-to-vehicle and pedestrian front crash prevention tests released October 8. Marginal and poor ratings were common, though at least one good performer in each test shows the technology is achievable.

None of the four pickups earned a good or acceptable rating in vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention. The Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD, Ford F-350, and GMC Sierra 3500 all rated poor; the Ram 3500 managed marginal. Pedestrian results were slightly better, with the Ford and Ram earning acceptable and the GM twins marginal.

The details are sobering. The Ford F-350's systems could only avoid a passenger-car target at 31 mph and failed in four higher-speed tests; in one 43 mph test it did not slow at all. The Silverado failed to avoid the car target in all six of its tests.

Cargo vans did better at the top end. The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 earned a good rating for vehicle-to-vehicle prevention, while the Chevrolet BrightDrop 400 and Rivian RCV-Delivery 500 earned good ratings for pedestrian avoidance. The Chevrolet Express 2500 and GMC Savana 2500 rated poor in both tests because they lack automatic emergency braking.

Motorcycles were a particular weak point. Most systems failed to warn or slow adequately in motorcycle trials, and some that slowed enough were downgraded for late warnings. Several vehicles also struggled more with a child dummy in daylight than an adult at night, possibly because tall front ends and mirror-mounted sensors lose sight of the shorter dummy as the vehicle closes in.

IIHS President David Harkey called the results a wake-up call for commercial vehicle makers, noting that front crash prevention matters more for heavy vehicles because of the danger they pose to others. In 2024, 6,215 people died in crashes involving medium- or heavy-duty vehicles or light vans, 16% of all U.S. roadway deaths.

For fleet buyers, the ratings are now a shopping tool. Just as IIHS ratings pushed passenger-car safety forward, these commercial ratings let buyers choose vans and pickups with proven crash-avoidance performance. The Sprinter, BrightDrop, and Rivian results prove good ratings are within reach.

For drivers, the message is simpler: do not trust the tech blindly. Know your vehicle's actual capabilities, keep following distances generous, and remember that a 14,000-pound pickup at 43 mph carries consequences no sensor can fully erase. The best crash-avoidance system is still the driver.

The testing also covered semitrailer detection, checking whether forward collision warnings fire when approaching a trailer. Several systems failed to issue warnings or slow in most motorcycle trials, a gap that matters enormously for vehicles sharing roads with bikes. For truckers, the practical note is that the car or pickup in the next lane may not see you either, regardless of what its dashboard promises.

IIHS launched its commercial vehicle assessment program in June, and more vehicle classes will follow. Expect these ratings to show up in fleet purchasing specs and insurance discussions soon. Manufacturers that treat this as a wake-up call will have the advantage.