Ram 1500 earns 'Top Safety Pick+' designation

The Ram 1500 crew cab became the first large pickup truck to earn the "Top Safety Pick+" designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which conducts safety testing and represents the insurance industry. 

The IIHS said it is awarding the designation for Ram 1500 models built after May that have optional front crash prevention. 

The Ram 1500 originally did not qualify for the top safety pick award because its headlights were rated poor or marginal.   

The IIHS said the newer Ram 1500 crew cab earns a good headlight rating due to its available curve-adaptive LED projector headlights with high-beam assist for models built after May. The organization said earlier models with the same headlights earned a poor headlight rating due to excessive glare

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles noted the Ram 1500 recorded “good” results in three crashworthiness evaluations conducted by the IIHS that simulated frontal impacts, which was the highest-possible rating. The company said the pickup also did well in tests that were designed to measure performance in a side impact crash, rear impact collision and a rollover situation. 

klaing@detroitnews.com