West Virginia passengers riding in newer model pickup trucks are more likely to be injured or killed in crashes than drivers, according to a recent study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In fact, researchers found that most 2018 two-row pickups included in the study had difficulty maintaining their structure when struck on the front-right corner.

Researchers found that 2018 Toyota Tundras offered the least protection to front-seat passengers in a front-right collision, which earned it a “poor” rating. Meanwhile, five other 2018 models, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, GMC Sierra 1500 and Nissan Frontier, only earned “marginal” ratings for their crash performance. Two other 2018 pickups, the Honda Ridgeline and the Toyota Tacoma, earned “acceptable” ratings. The only three pickups to earn “good” ratings were the 2018 Ford F-150, 2018 Ram 1500 and 2018 Nissan Titan. All but two of the pickups in the study received “good” scores for their driver’s side protection. The Tundra and the Frontier were given “marginal” ratings.

IIHS only began testing vehicles on their passenger side-impact performance in 2017. The institute says that automakers need to develop and install better safety features for passengers.

Serious car crashes are frequently caused by negligent motorists, including drivers who are speeding, distracted or impaired by drugs or alcohol. Individuals who have been injured by another driver might wish to take legal action against the responsible party. By working with an attorney who handles vehicle crash claims, a victim could file a lawsuit seeking compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, property loss and other related damages. Victims could contact a law firm to have their case evaluated.