The IIHS will publish safety evaluations for commercial trucks and vans.
This data has never been publicly available before.
Commercial trucks represent 16% of all road deaths from 2023.

Commercial vehicles such as heavy-duty trucks and vans have never been required to meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards that apply to cars, SUVs, and light trucks. As a result, buyers have never had access to star ratings from NHTSA or independent assessments from groups like the IIHS.

In a groundbreaking move, the IIHS has now issued its first set of ratings for these larger vehicles, focusing on key safety items long standard on passenger models. Evaluated features include front and side airbags along with seat belt pre-tensioners, force limiters, and reminder systems. Additional ratings covering automatic emergency braking and headlights are scheduled for release later this year.

Each category received a simple pass or fail mark shown with a green check or red X. Three heavy-duty pickups were reviewed:

2026 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD
2025 Ford F-350 Super Duty
2025 Ram 3500

Six cargo vans also underwent testing:

2025 BrightDrop 400
2025 Ram ProMaster 2500
2025 Ford Transit T250
2025 Mercedes Sprinter 2500
2025 Rivian Delivery 500
2025 Chevrolet Express 2500

Four models earned top marks by passing every category: the BrightDrop 400, Ram ProMaster 2500, 2026 Chevrolet 3500HD, and 2025 Ford F-350. The remaining vehicles fell short on seat belt reminders, and the Express further lacked standard force limiters.

IIHS President David Harkey noted that the organization has long guided consumers toward safer passenger vehicles and that these new ratings finally bring commercial trucks into that same conversation after years of limited regulatory attention.

The effort carries broad public value. IIHS figures show 6,535 fatalities occurred in crashes involving heavy- or medium-duty trucks or light vans during 2023, equal to 16 percent of all U.S. roadway deaths.

What do you think?

Under its 30x30 initiative, the IIHS seeks a 30 percent drop in crash deaths by 2030 after fatalities rose sharply between 2014 and 2022. By supplying clear safety information, the group expects fleet buyers to choose better-equipped models and help lower overall fatalities.

Motor1’s Take: Commercial vehicles were originally exempted from passenger-car rules because of their size and work-focused roles. With many of these trucks now serving as daily drivers for private owners, revisiting those exemptions makes increasing sense.