IIHS launches evaluations of commercial vehicles, starting with driver protection (IIHS)
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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is releasing the results of its first evaluations of commercial vehicles.
Four of the first nine heavy-duty pickups and cargo vans to be assessed come with a suite of features that IIHS considers essential for driver protection, including standard front and side airbags, advanced seat belt technology and effective seat belt reminders.
In the coming months, IIHS plans to evaluate these same vehicles for attributes that can protect other road users, including automatic emergency braking and headlights.
“For decades, IIHS has helped consumers prioritize safety in their car-buying decisions,” IIHS President David Harkey said. “These initial evaluations mark our first foray into commercial vehicles, which for too long have been an afterthought when it comes to regulations and safety information.”
In 2023, 6,535 people were killed in crashes involving heavy- or medium-duty trucks or light vans, accounting for 16% of all roadway fatalities in the U.S. Reducing that toll is a key part of the Institute’s 30x30 vision of reducing fatalities 30% by 2030.
Many government standards for passenger vehicles don’t apply to delivery vans, box trucks, tractor-trailers and certain work pickups. That means features as basic as airbags are not required on these vehicles.
The performance of headlights that meet government standards varies widely, and U.S. regulators do not currently require automatic emergency braking (AEB) or other advanced driver assistance systems for commercial vehicles. These systems are especially important for heavy trucks and vans, whose large size makes them a greater danger to other road users.
In the absence of strong regulations, information from IIHS can help commercial vehicle buyers make informed decisions.
