Top 4 Safest Large Pickup Trucks Worth Buying in 2023
Car safety technologies have come a long way in the last few years. In fact, many of today's top-rated pickup trucks come loaded with standard active and passive safety features that were once only available on premium models.
While the automakers have played a significant role in making our roads safer, the real credit goes to independent safety testing organizations like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
These organizations put every new vehicle through a series of rigorous safety tests. Their findings compile essential safety ratings that shoppers rely on when purchasing cars.
Regardless of which pickup truck you're considering, it's always a good idea to check the NHTSA and IIHS safety ratings before making your final decision. With that said, here are the 2022 pickup trucks with the top safety ratings from the NHTSA and what safety features NHTSA and IIHS test for in their evaluations.
Top Safest Pickup Trucks to Buy in 2023
1. Ford F-150 Crew cab pickup
The full-size F-150 comes in several different configurations, but the Crew Cab model tops the 2022 list of IIHS truck safety ratings with a Top Safety Pick award. In all the IIHS tests, the 2022 F-150 earned a good crash test rating and a superior or advanced front crash prevention rating on both vehicle-to-pedestrian and vehicle-to-vehicle tests. Other NHTSA safety tests that the F-150 aced to earn a five star rating include:
- Driver-side and passenger-side small overlap front
- Moderate overlap front and side impact
- Front crash prevention
- Seat belt reminders
- Roof strength and head restraints and seats
- Acceptable and good headlights
Some of the noticeable standard safety features that help the F-150 earn high marks include:
- Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking
- Blind Spot Information System with Cross-Traffic Alert
- Auto High-Beam Headlights
- Rear View Camera with Dynamic Hitch Assist
- Co-Pilot 360 Assist+
2. Ram 1500 Crew cab pickup
Just after the F-150, the fifth-generation Ram 1500 comes in as the second-safest pickup truck for 2022. The crew cab earned the Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS. The credit goes to its Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning featuring a front crash prevention system that earned a superior rating in the vehicle-to-vehicle and an advanced rating in the vehicle-to-pedestrian tests. Regardless of cab style, all Ram 1500s featured a five and four star NHTSA's safety rating in the following tests:
- An overall five star under the NHTSA rating system
- A five star on overall side rating
- Four-star for front crash prevention system that is optional on most trims but standard on the Limited and Laramie Longhorn
- Five star in side impact protection that is upgraded for this model year with new airbags
- A four-star rating for the crew cab in the rollover test
The 2022 Ram 1500 features several standard and available driver-assist safety features, such as:
- Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop
- Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Path Detection
- Trailer sway control
- ParkSense Front and Rear Park Assist with Stop
3. Toyota Tundra CrewMax pickup truck
Available in a newly redesigned lineup for the 2022 model year, the Japanese automaker's full-size Toyota Tundra pickup truck secured a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS. The 2022 Tundra crashworthiness rating is good in all the tests conducted by IIHS, with the crash avoidance & mitigation technology getting a superior rating.
While NHTSA has not yet rated the all-new Tundra, it is expected to get high marks as Toyota has equipped the vehicle with an array of standard and available driver-assist safety features, such as:
- Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection
- Automatic High Beams
- Lane Departure Alert with Sway Warning System
- Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control
4. Ford F-150 Extended cab pickup
The 2022 F-150 continues its streak on this list but in a different configuration. The IIHS awarded the F-150 Extended Cab model with a Top Safety Pick designation.
This F-150 variant shares the same strong crashworthiness ratings and advanced front crash prevention system as the Crew Cab model. It also has a superior vehicle-to-vehicle rating and an advanced vehicle-to-pedestrian rating.
Some of the standard safety features on the F-150 Extended Cab include:
- Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking
- Blind Spot Information System with Cross-Traffic Alert
- Auto High-Beam Headlights
- Rear View Camera with Dynamic Hitch Assist
- Roof strength and head restraints and seats
The F-150 Extended Cab comes standard with several driver-assistive safety features, such as:
- Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop
- Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Detection
- Lane Keeping System
- Lane Departure Warning
Safety Features IIHS and NHTSA Look for When Testing Pickup Trucks
Earning a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS is not an easy feat to achieve. A vehicle must earn a good or acceptable rating in all five crashworthiness tests, including small, moderate, front, side, roof strength, head restraints, and seats.
The vehicle must also offer an advanced or superior front crash prevention system and good or acceptable headlights being standard across all trim levels.
Auto-braking performance is also taken into consideration. A Top Safety Pick vehicle must demonstrate an ability to avoid or mitigate a frontal collision with another vehicle or pedestrian at 12 mph and 25 mph.
The metal plates that make up the structure of a vehicle play a significant role in its ability to withstand the force of an impact and protect occupants. In the roof strength rating, for example, IIHS uses a metal plate to crush the roof at a rate of 5 inches per second. The maximum recorded force is then divided by the vehicle's curb weight to calculate a strength-to-weight ratio. A good or acceptable rating requires the roof to withstand a force equal to or greater than four times the vehicle's curb weight.
In the head restraints & seat rating, IIHS evaluates how well the seat and head restraints protect an occupant's head from being hit by a moving object during a rear-end collision. A good or acceptable rating requires the head restraint to reduce the forward movement of an occupant's head by at least 4 inches during a simulated crash.
Bottom Line
If you're in the market for a new pickup truck and safety is a top priority, you should consider one of the vehicles on this list. The trucks are top safety rated with various standard and available safety features to help keep you and your passengers safe.
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