Big trucks 'wimpy' in crash tests

Some full-size trucks do surprisingly poorly in Insurance Institute side crash tests, but others stand out.

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Striking results
Striking results
While all full-size pick-ups have earned top marks for front-impact protection, some don't do nearly so well in side-crash protection, according to tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In fact, the Insurance Institute called the side-crash performance of three trucks it tested "wimpy, at best."

But three other trucks have already earned "Top Safety Pick" awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, indicating top performance in all the Institute's tests.

In an announcement released Wednesday, the Institute berated the three poorer-performing trucks.

"The size, weight and height of these large pick-ups should help them ace the tests just like the other large pick-ups we've tested. Not these three," said David Zuby, senior vice president at the Institute. "They perform worse than many cars we've evaluated."

The Insurance Institute tests side impact safety by striking vehicles with a moving barrier designed to mimic the impact of another pick-up or SUV.

By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNNMoney.com senior writer

NEXT: GMC Sierra/Chevrolet Silverado
Last updated February 11 2009: 12:23 PM ET
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