Safest Truck according to IIHS

[FLiPMaRC]

Spoiler ... it's the RAM 1500

 

[wallyuwl]

Summary? Don't have time to watch.

 

[Royalist_Ram]

Summary? Don't have time to watch.

This isn't really new, TFL just decided to summarize some stuff to make content.

Essentially the Safest Full-Size Truck currently sold new is the Ram 1500. It's the only Top Safety Pick for 2021 MY. It was an even better Top Safety Pick + for 2019-2020 MY, however the rules changed and now to receive that rating, all headlights, not just some, need to have a Good or Acceptable Rating STANDARD. Previously it just had to be AVAILABLE. The reasoning is that the halogens suck, the LED Reflectors are ok, and the LED Projectors are very good; so that's how it got that overall rating. Also, note that very early production LED Projectors on the Longhorn and Limited were terrible but have since been tweaked. As far as everything else: structure in crashes, rigidity, driver assistance safety systems: all are very good on the 5th Gen Ram.

 

[SpeedyV]

This isn't really new, TFL just decided to summarize some stuff to make content.

Essentially the Safest Full-Size Truck currently sold new is the Ram 1500. It's the only Top Safety Pick for 2021 MY. It was an even better Top Safety Pick + for 2019-2020 MY, however the rules changed and now to receive that rating, all headlights, not just some, need to have a Good or Acceptable Rating STANDARD. Previously it just had to be AVAILABLE. The reasoning is that the halogens suck, the LED Reflectors are ok, and the LED Projectors are very good; so that's how it got that overall rating. Also, note that very early production LED Projectors on the Longhorn and Limited were terrible but have since been tweaked. As far as everything else: structure in crashes, rigidity, driver assistance safety systems: all are very good on the 5th Gen Ram.

One quick note (previously discussed): the early production LED projectors outperformed the revised version from the driver’s point of view. The downside was that they directed too much glare towards oncoming drivers on left handed curves. The revision restricted light in that direction, making the headlights perform slightly less effectively but safer for other drivers.

 

[AdamChandler]

https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/Ram/1500-crew-cab-pickup/2021

This is a much better read. No point in watching a YouTube video full of ads when you can go right to the source.

This generation RAM has been a 'top pick' for a few years. IIHS is independent and unbiased. Trucks aren't the safest but to be the top truck is great! The only ding the RAM gets is around the headlights which is a solved issue if you get a Laramie or Limited. Everything else is top marks.

 

[DomW]

https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/Ram/1500-crew-cab-pickup/2021

This is a much better read. No point in watching a YouTube video full of ads when you can go right to the source.

Thanks, I was confused on how the headlights were rated. More informative too.

 

[DomW]

One quick note (previously discussed): the early production LED projectors outperformed the revised version from the driver’s point of view.

Do you know at what serial # the switch to revised headlights was made? I am curious if my Limited is or is not revised.

 

[SD Rebel]

Thanks, I was confused on how the headlights were rated. More informative too.

Their rating is purely for the night time performance of the headlights, has nothing to do with how it effects the crash test results. For some reason, big trucks have not gotten very high scores for headlight illumination over the years. Which negatively effects their overall safety.

 

[Biga]

Their rating is purely for the night time performance of the headlights, has nothing to do with how it effects the crash test results. For some reason, big trucks have not gotten very high scores for headlight illumination over the years. Which negatively effects their overall safety.

It's harder for trucks to get good ratings as the lights are typically mounted up high and have to be pointed down to prevent glare to on coming drivers. Headlights on lower cars can point more straight out to get a longer light beam.

 

[IvoryHemi]

The only ding the RAM gets is around the headlights which is a solved issue if you get a Laramie or Limited.

Longhorn gets the projector LED’s. Laramie doesn’t get those lights, they have the reflector LED’s

 

[Royalist_Ram]

Do you know at what serial # the switch to revised headlights was made? I am curious if my Limited is or is not revised.

You got a 2021, these were very early production 2019’s that were made in 2018 that had that issue.

 

[Royalist_Ram]

Longhorn or Limited get the projector LED.

Laramie doesn’t get those lights. They have the reflector LED

Bighorn is optional too for the LED Refelctors and Rebel has them standard. Also technically the Reflectors have two categories, one with auto High Beams and one with out. So there’s really 4 styles of headlights.

 

[Royalist_Ram]

https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/Ram/1500-crew-cab-pickup/2021

This is a much better read. No point in watching a YouTube video full of ads when you can go right to the source.

This generation RAM has been a 'top pick' for a few years. IIHS is independent and unbiased. Trucks aren't the safest but to be the top truck is great! The only ding the RAM gets is around the headlights which is a solved issue if you get a Laramie or Limited. Everything else is top marks.

Use Adblock my friend. No more ads for me when I’m online.

 

[AdamChandler]

I can shed some light on the headlights thing. NHTSA/IIHS/DOT all collectively published something about 10 years ago it's a VERY long PDF. the groups are also focused currently on glare of headlights. It's one thing to have a good long and wide beam but if you're blinding other drivers, then that's a ding on safety. You can see some thoughts on their grading here - https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/headlights-are-still-an-afterthought-on-many-vehicles

You can also really go down a rabbit hole here:

https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/811712

Headlighting | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

one.nhtsa.gov

Rear signaling | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

one.nhtsa.gov

But in short, the Feds and these independent safety groups have been giving poor marks to any manufacture that ships halogen or xenon bulbs. It's agreed now that if a manufacture doesn't do LED Everything, they're going to get a bad rating. LEDs are expensive and these car companies save money putting halogens on base models but instead of federally requiring LEDs, the Feds are just publicly shaming companies with lower safety ratings which even though consumers, most generally don't think they need LEDs yet or are willing to shell out $2000 for "lighting packages" , consumers DO care about "top safety pick" and JD Power and "best in class" when it comes to safety so if NHTSA can shame a company with a lower rating because the base model doesn't come with full LEDs on all sides, it may steer consumers away from those cars therefore awarding sales to the company that does go all LED before feds require it.

those of us who have lower trim trucks OR cars in our stable that don't have full LED (not projector, not bi-xenon) we know the difference is huge in being seen and seeing ourselves what's ahead but to get LED, you're spending on average about $35,000 on a car or $55,000 on a truck / SUV to get the full feature set.

I with NHTSA would just make them a federal requirement and get it over with.

EDIT: Ill add, one thing that is going to be huge for safety w/o blinding other drivers is adaptive LED lighting. We finally have approval to get this in USA after Europe has had it for year. Not cornering lighting but individual matrix of LEDs that lower, rise and turn on and off depending on the road pitch/incline and oncoming traffic. It makes the LEDs permanently on high beam without blinding other drivers - https://www.federalregister.gov/doc...s-reflective-devices-and-associated-equipment

 

[AdamChandler]

Use Adblock my friend. No more ads for me when I’m online.

I'm talking about ads IN YouTube videos. Every YouTube video now is plugging their other channel, had product placement or promotes their podcast. I pay for YouTube premium and simply stop playing a video that has ads in the video. It's a personal choice.

 

[Royalist_Ram]

I'm talking about ads IN YouTube videos. Every YouTube video now is plugging their other channel, had product placement or promotes their podcast. I pay for YouTube premium and simply stop playing a video that has ads in the video. It's a personal choice.

Ohhhh like sponsorships. Yeah those annoying too.

 

[mikeru82]

I can shed some light on the headlights thing. NHTSA/IIHS/DOT all collectively published something about 10 years ago it's a VERY long PDF. the groups are also focused currently on glare of headlights. It's one thing to have a good long and wide beam but if you're blinding other drivers, then that's a ding on safety. You can see some thoughts on their grading here - https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/headlights-are-still-an-afterthought-on-many-vehicles

You can also really go down a rabbit hole here:

https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/811712

Headlighting | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

one.nhtsa.gov

Rear signaling | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

one.nhtsa.gov

But in short, the Feds and these independent safety groups have been giving poor marks to any manufacture that ships halogen or xenon bulbs. It's agreed now that if a manufacture doesn't do LED Everything, they're going to get a bad rating. LEDs are expensive and these car companies save money putting halogens on base models but instead of federally requiring LEDs, the Feds are just publicly shaming companies with lower safety ratings which even though consumers, most generally don't think they need LEDs yet or are willing to shell out $2000 for "lighting packages" , consumers DO care about "top safety pick" and JD Power and "best in class" when it comes to safety so if NHTSA can shame a company with a lower rating because the base model doesn't come with full LEDs on all sides, it may steer consumers away from those cars therefore awarding sales to the company that does go all LED before feds require it.

those of us who have lower trim trucks OR cars in our stable that don't have full LED (not projector, not bi-xenon) we know the difference is huge in being seen and seeing ourselves what's ahead but to get LED, you're spending on average about $35,000 on a car or $55,000 on a truck / SUV to get the full feature set.

I with NHTSA would just make them a federal requirement and get it over with.

EDIT: Ill add, one thing that is going to be huge for safety w/o blinding other drivers is adaptive LED lighting. We finally have approval to get this in USA after Europe has had it for year. Not cornering lighting but individual matrix of LEDs that lower, rise and turn on and off depending on the road pitch/incline and oncoming traffic. It makes the LEDs permanently on high beam without blinding other drivers - https://www.federalregister.gov/doc...s-reflective-devices-and-associated-equipment

You don't think that requiring them to put LED projectors in all Ram trucks wouldn't raise the price of them? My guess is that it would significantly raise the price of them more than adding an LED lighting solution yourself.

 

[Royalist_Ram]

You don't think that requiring them to put LED projectors in all Ram trucks wouldn't raise the price of them? My guess is that it would significantly raise the price of them more than adding an LED lighting solution yourself.

LED’s should be standard on all vehicles for 2022 imo. Whether or not they’re Reflectors or Projectors or Matrix Laser Lights from Audi is not important until we just get rid of those terrible halogens.

 

[AdamChandler]

You don't think that requiring them to put LED projectors in all Ram trucks wouldn't raise the price of them? My guess is that it would significantly raise the price of them more than adding an LED lighting solution yourself.

LEDs all around the vehicle are very expensive. Even my $76,000 (Sticker) RAM has a halogen light in the vanity mirror. that's the only non-LED I could find in the truck but as you go down-trim and down-market, you'll notice less LEDs because of cost. Every time I buy a new car, I find it a personal goal to find where they cut costs and lighting is usually pretty easy.

My point was that the feds aren't requiring it because manufacturers threaten to raise prices which prices more people out of new vehicles BUT they are shaming companies that don't use all LED by telling consumers this vehicle is less safe. I'm with Royalist, every vehicle should at minimum, have LED Low beams + LED Tail lights. It would add at least $600 and at most, $2000 to every vehicle's sticker price based on what these companies charge for their "lighting package"

 

[jdmartin]

I rarely drive at night and would not be in favor of adding $600-$2000 cost to the price of the truck for upgraded night lighting. While driving at night is inherently more dangerous than driving in the daylight, if you don't outrun your lighting regular old-time headlights are more than suitable. Brighter lighting gives drivers more confidence and I suspect a tendency to drive at higher speeds than they would otherwise, much the way people with 4WD think that it gives them a license to increase their speed on winter roads.