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Considering the exorbitant cost of gas, it is no surprise that drivers are looking for a way to save a few dollars. Some drivers have reacted to the recent oil crisis by trading in their gas guzzler for a smaller, leaner vehicle with better gas mileage. While this may make sense for a commuter’s pocketbook, drivers should be reminded to take the time to research the safety rating of any new vehicle purchase – especially small cars and trucks.

Smaller, less expensive vehicles often lack the impressive safety features of their larger, pricier siblings. Smaller vehicles are often made with more lightweight materials, they may lack the newest safety features like side-impact protection or electronic stability control and may even come without anti-lock brakes. In addition, some light vehicles rate poorly in federal and insurance institute crash tests. Trading down may save money at the gas pump, but is it really worth it if you and your family won’t be adequately protected in an accident?

New small truck crash test results

One vehicle segment that has recently received attention is the market for small pickup trucks. Drivers who need or want the utility of a pickup may be tempted to try a smaller version of their current fuel-hungry model – but they should proceed with caution. Recent side-impact testing of small pickup trucks by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has highlighted the importance of considering safety before you downsize.

Traditionally, crash testing has focused on front impact collisions. However, most cars and trucks these days perform well in front impact collision tests, so testing experts have begun to focus on other crash events – like side-impact collisions, which are the second most common type of fatal crash. According to IIHS, frontal collisions accounted for about 15,000 traffic deaths in 2006 and side-impact collisions for account for about 8,800.

Small pickup trucks are already notorious for safety because they have a higher driver fatality rate than other passenger vehicles. This isn’t necessarily due to any deficiency in the vehicle itself – drivers of small pickups are more likely than other drivers to fail to use their seatbelt, and they are involved in more single-vehicle crashes than other drivers. However, when thinking of buying a small truck it is still important consider safety ratings, as some trucks are indeed rated higher than others.

Consider the latest side-impact crash tests results from IIHS on the following small pickup trucks (all were crew-cab models, except for the Ford which was an extended-cab model):
1. Toyota Tacoma: side impact rating GOOD
2. Dodge Dakota: side impact rating MARGINAL
3. Nissan Frontier: side impact rating MARGINAL
4. Ford Ranger / Mazda B Series: side impact rating MARGINAL
5. Chevrolet Colorado / GMC Canyon: side impact rating POOR

A traffic accident can be serious business no matter what kind of vehicle you drive. If you or someone you love have been seriously injured in a traffic accident and would like to speak with a skilled attorney about your case then please contact Weisberg & Zaleski today. We’ll discuss your DUI case with you for no charge and no obligation.

Weisberg & Zaleski, P.C.
112 College Place
Norfolk, VA 23510

Toll Free: (800) 690-0235
Phone: (757) 622-7740
Fax: (757) 533-9223