The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the 2018 Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee "poor" grades in its latest crash test on front passenger safety.
The crash test involving eight popular SUV models focused on front-end crashes with SUVs going about 40 mph.
According to CBS, 25 percent of serious injuries and fatalities come from these kinds of accidents.
The IIHS test found that front-seat passengers in Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs could be in danger during a front-end crash because the vehicles do not have protections built in that could deter bodily harm.
Front seat passengers in these vehicles may be in danger, because protections built into the driver’s side aren’t the same for front seat passengers.
The 2018 Ford Explorer ranked poorly because its structure collapsed during a crash. Pieces of the vehicle were able to pierce through the cab, resulting in the high likelihood of injuries to the front passenger’s right hip and lower leg.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee ranked poorly for head safety.
During the test, the passenger crash dummy’s head hit the dashboard even though the airbag deployed The side airbag did not deploy, and the doors opened, allowing the dummy’s head to fling out of the SUV.
"Some of the counter measures or the design changes that automakers were making on the driver's side weren't necessarily making it to the right side of the vehicle," David Zuby, the IIHS chief research officer, told CBS. "My advice to people who are shopping for new vehicles is that they've got better choices"
Three SUVs ranked “good” in the IIHS safety study: the Kia Sorrento, 2018 Volkswagen Atlas and 2018 GMC Acadia.
Three others - the 2018 Toyota Highlander, 2018 Nissan Pathfinder and 2018 Honda Pilot all ranked “acceptable.”
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