Pickup trucks score poorly in headlight tests

DETROIT – Pickup trucks scored poorly in headlight tests performed by the insurance industry.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests measured how far light carries from the trucks’ high beams and low beams. They also measured the amount of glare that could affect oncoming drivers.

The institute tested 23 headlight combinations available on 11 small and full-size pickups. Most of the headlights caused excessive glare.

Only one large pickup, the Honda Ridgeline, earned the highest rating for the headlights on its most expensive models.

All four small pickups tested — the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma — got poor ratings. The Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado and Toyota Tundra full-size pickups also earned poor ratings

IIHS ratings often lead manufacturers to make changes to their products.