SUVS and pickups pose less risk to those in cars and minivans

New SUVs and pickups pose far less risk to people in cars and minivans than previous models, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)

Until recently, SUVs and pickups were more likely than cars or minivans of the same weight to be involved in crashes that killed occupants of other cars or minivans, according to an IIHS study.

This is no longer the case for SUVs and the higher risk is much less pronounced for pickups than it had been.

The change is being attributed to two things: improved crash protection and newly designed SUVs and pickups.

The new SUVs and pickups have front-end-absorbing structures, which are aligned with those of cars.

By aligning the energy-absorbing structures with those of cars, the likelihood that an SUV or pickup would override a car in a collision is reduced.

Better alignment allows both vehicles’ front ends to manage the crash energy, helping to keep it away from the occupant compartments, according to the IIHS.

The automakers also pledged to strengthen head protection in all vehicles as a means to improving outcomes when an SUV or pickup strikes another vehicle on the side.
This was accomplished by installing more head-protecting side airbags.

Participating automakers included BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, and Volkswagen.