Rear crash tests show newer SUV head restraints safer

The redesigned Toyota Tundra was the only pickup truck rated with a good seat/head restraint crash protection by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The tests were performed using the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC)-developed Head Restraint Measuring Device, says an ICBC release.
2007 models of pickup trucks, SUVs and minivan seats were measured for head restraint geometry and are rated good, acceptable, marginal or poor by IIHS researchers.
Among the best performers are the seat/head restraint combinations in SUVs made by Subaru and Volvo and new designs from Acura, Ford, Honda and Hyundai, an IIHS release says.
Seat/head restraints in three minivan models from Hyundai and Ford earned good ratings, but the redesigned Toyota Tundra is the only pickup model evaluated with seat/head restraints rated good for rear crash protection.
In stop and go commuter traffic, youre more likely to get in a rear-end collision than any other crash type, David Zuby, senior vice president of the IIHSs Vehicle Research Centre, said in a statement.
Its not a major feat of engineering to design seats and head restraints that afford good protection in these common crashes.
According to the ICBC, some of the 2007 SUV models had better occupant protection results compared with older models, while most of the minivan and pickup trucks received marginal or poor ratings, which is consistent with previous rear-impact tests.