Are Pickup Trucks Safer Than Cars?

Are Pickup Trucks Safer Than Cars? A Safety Comparison

No, pickup trucks are not always safer than cars. The vehicle's size, type, safety features, and road conditions influence the safety of passengers and pedestrians. 

Although pickup trucks offer more protection in specific crash scenarios due to their size and reinforced structures, they pose a higher risk of potential rollover accidents and increased harm to pedestrians. It is essential to compare the features and performance of pickup trucks and cars to determine which is safer.

What You'll Learn in this Article

This article will help you understand:

• The standard and differing safety features found in modern pickup trucks and cars.

• Critical safety technologies of pickup trucks compared to cars.

• Key insights from accident statistics involving pickup trucks and cars.

The Impact of Vehicle Size on Vehicle Safety

ScienceDirect emphasized that the size and weight distribution of a car can determine the severity of injuries in a crash. Larger vehicles typically provide better crash protection than smaller ones. The increased weight and supported structures of larger vehicles help absorb impact more effectively. This leads to fewer serious injuries. 

Pickup trucks and other large vehicles are heavier, but this size has its downsides. They have a higher center of gravity, which makes them more likely to roll over in accidents. This increases the risk of serious injuries or fatalities. The height of a truck's front end can be particularly hazardous for pedestrians, increasing the risk.

On the other hand, smaller cars are more fuel-efficient and easier to maneuver. However, passengers in smaller cars are at a higher risk of injury in crashes with larger vehicles, such as pickup trucks or SUVs. In these accidents, the weight difference and vehicle type put the passengers of smaller cars at a disadvantage.

Truck drivers and pickup truck drivers need to be careful. Although their vehicles offer more protection, they require longer distances to come to a stop. This means they can cause more damage if they crash into smaller cars. Road conditions and reckless driving can also affect the safety of passengers and pedestrians.

Safety Features of Pickup Trucks and Cars

While pickup trucks and cars share many essential safety technologies, there are still notable differences in the more advanced or specialized features each vehicle type offers. 

Standard features found in pickup trucks and cars include:

• Adaptive Cruise Control

• Anti-Theft Systems

• Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)

• Blind-Spot Monitoring

• Child Locks

• Crash Structures

• Lane-Keeping Assist

• Pedestrian Detection

• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert

• Seatbelts and Airbags

• Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS)

Lacking Pickup Truck Safety Features

Despite this strong foundation, pickup trucks in 2025 often lack a few critical safety technologies increasingly available in other modern vehicles.

Post-collision braking

A system that automatically applies the brakes after an initial crash to prevent secondary impacts. This system is still limited in pickup trucks but increasingly available in many new cars. This feature is valuable in preventing further damage after a collision. Its absence in pickups could put occupants at greater risk in multi-vehicle accidents.

Submersion escape features

Another gap is in submersion escape features. This allows vehicle occupants to exit a car safely when it is submerged in water. These are rare in pickup trucks but available in select car models, particularly those focused on passenger safety in extreme conditions. In the event of a flood or water-related accident, lacking this feature can be life-threatening.

Autonomous driving features

Autonomous driving features represent a third difference. Many cars in 2025 are beginning to offer semi-autonomous capabilities, including self-parking, lane centering, and adaptive lane-changing. However, pickup trucks remain limited to basic driver assistance systems. This gap reflects different development priorities. Pickup truck drivers may not receive the same level of support during highway driving or in traffic conditions.

Tip: When buying a car, consider its safety, not just its price, features, or technology. Consider the top safest cars of 2025 to find a reliable vehicle.

Confirming the Pickup Truck's Safety with Crash Test Ratings

In the United States, vehicle safety is primarily assessed by two key organizations. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The NHTSA evaluates passenger vehicles using a 5-star safety rating system based on performance in multiple crash tests. Meanwhile, the IIHS conducts independent crash testing and rates cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs based on their crash protection, roof strength, and head restraint effectiveness.

These ratings help truck drivers and car occupants assess a vehicle's safety in the event of an accident. It helps spot differences between smaller cars and larger vehicles, such as pickup trucks. These include their safety features, structural performance, and the associated risks.

The NHTSA and IIHS contribute to raising awareness about potential dangers. They analyze accident outcomes and injury rates by providing reports. They influence automakers to improve their designs and add advanced systems.

Real-World Car Accident Analysis and Statistics

Examining real-world car accident statistics can provide a clearer understanding of the safety of pickup trucks and other vehicles.

Motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2022 and 2023

Here is a table displaying the fatalities and injuries of vehicle occupants involved in traffic crashes in the United States.

Source: NHTSA - Overview of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes 2023

Fatalities

Pickups accounted for 4,311 fatalities in 2023, a decrease from 2022 and lower than passenger cars (11,792) and SUVs (6,888). This difference partly reflects vehicle usage patterns. Pickups are often used for work, utility, and rural driving. Cars and SUVs are more prevalent in urban and suburban areas, where they are exposed to increased traffic risks.

Pickup trucks are designed with durability and high ground clearance, which offers enhanced protection in specific crash scenarios. However, they may be more prone to rollover incidents under certain conditions, such as those involving all tall vehicles. Many new pickups now include electronic stability control and rollover mitigation technologies to lower this risk.

Passenger cars recorded the highest fatality. It could be attributed to their higher presence on the roads and more frequent use in congested highways. SUVs still reported more fatalities than pickups, despite being generally more stable than cars.

Injuries

Regarding injuries, incidents involving pickup trucks increased from 218,988 in 2022 to 240,317 in 2023. This is due to pickups becoming increasingly popular among a broader range of drivers for work, family use, and daily driving. As pickup usage grows, so does their exposure to various driving conditions.

While cars had the highest number of injuries (919,035), the associated injuries decreased compared to the previous year. This decline likely reflects improvements in safety technology. Cars adopted automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and other driver-assist features.

SUV injuries rose significantly, reaching 694,259 in 2023, marking a high raw increase. This may be due to the increased ownership of sport utility vehicles (SUVs), since more families prefer SUVs for their space, comfort, and perceived safety.

Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right Vehicle for Your Needs

Deciding between a pickup truck and a car involves more than just preferences for style or utility. Understanding how vehicle size, structure, and safety features influence real-world protection is necessary. This guide provides data-driven statistics, expert safety ratings, and comparisons to help you make an informed decision.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is a truck a car?

No, a truck is not classified as a car, while both are motor vehicles. Cars are primarily designed for passenger transport, whereas trucks are built for carrying heavier loads and often feature a separate cargo area.

How safe is a pick-up truck?

A pickup truck can be a safe vehicle, especially newer models with advanced safety systems. However, rollover risk and braking distance may impact safety in certain conditions.

Do pickup trucks last longer than cars?

Yes, pickup trucks often last longer than cars due to their rugged build and heavy-duty components, especially when properly maintained and used within their intended capabilities.

What are the disadvantages of a pickup truck?

Pickup trucks can be less fuel-efficient, more challenging to park in tight spaces, and more expensive to maintain. Additionally, they may offer a stiffer ride or less interior comfort than smaller vehicles.