The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has released its first-ever safety evaluations for commercial vehicles in the United States, beginning with heavy‑duty pickups and cargo vans. These vehicles, despite their size and involvement in 16% of all U.S. traffic fatalities in 2023, have historically lacked the regulatory safety requirements applied to passenger cars.

IIHS aims to close this gap by assessing three core driver‑protection features: front and side airbags, seat belt pretensioners and force limiters, and effective seat belt reminders. Research shows these technologies significantly reduce fatality risks, yet many commercial vehicles still do not include them as standard equipment. Among the nine models evaluated, only four met all criteria: the Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD, Ford F‑350 Super Crew, Chevrolet BrightDrop 400, and Ram ProMaster 2500.

Others fell short mainly due to inadequate seat belt reminders, a critical feature for drivers who make frequent stops. IIHS plans to expand testing to larger Class 4–6 trucks soon. For fleet managers, these evaluations provide essential data to reduce risk, improve driver safety, and support procurement decisions aligned with organizational duty‑of‑care standards.