Unlike any other car, SUV, or full-size truck, commercial vehicles (meaning heavy-duty trucks and vans) do not have to pass the same Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). That means you will not see a star rating from the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), nor are they evaluated by independent organizations like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
For the first time, however, the IIHS released evaluations for commercial vehicles, testing features that it considers essential on passenger vehicles but are typically not assessed on larger trucks and vans. These include standard front and side airbags, seat belt pre-tensioners, seat belt force limiter, and seat belt reminders. Later this year, the IIHS will release data on other features, including automatic emergency braking and headlights.
