Pickup Truck Rear Seat Danger
Pickup trucks are both a staple on construction sites and popular with families and DIYers, prized for their towing power, durability, and versatility. Yet a recent study raises a concern about their safety. Specifically, crash tests show that the rear seats – where children likely sit – pose a serious safety risk, according to an article in Pickup Truck Talk.
Front seats in pickups consistently provide better protection than rear seats, reported the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). In crash tests, engineers looked at several critical factors:
- Seatbelt effectiveness – How well restraints protect occupants during impact.
- Airbag deployment – Whether airbags adequately cover rear seat passengers.
- Structural integrity – The overall strength of the passenger compartment during a crash.
Shockingly, four out of every five pickup trucks tested received substandard ratings for rear seat safety. That means 80% of pickup trucks on the road fail to meet acceptable safety standards for passengers in the back seat.
With roughly 48 million pickup trucks registered in the U.S. and about 388,000 truck accidents reported each year, thousands of rear seat passengers are at risk of serious injury or worse each year, even when properly restrained with a seatbelt.
Sometimes accidents are just that: accidents. But when you believe an injury happened because of a product failure, product malfunction, or someone’s negligence, please contact us. Talking to a top Philadelphia law firm for trucking accidents may help you better understand your legal options and make an informed decision as to the next steps to take.