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Dodge Ram 2009-Present: Crash Test and Safety Ratings

The Dodge Ram is a fantastic truck that combines unique looks with standout performance. That much is known—what many drivers do not know, though, is that the car is also incredibly safe. And this is not just hearsay—it’s actually according to reports conducted by the NHSTA and IIHS. Read the following overview to find out what their studies concluded about the Dodge Ram.

By Jeffrey Bausch - July 1, 2015

This article applies to the Dodge Ram (2009-present).

While it seems like the current market for automotives is flooded with options, the good news is there are an equal amount of reliable resources upon which to rely for information pertaining to performance, reliability, and other important features, that the prospective buyer can read up on before making his/her purchase. Of all the features, though, safety is paramount, and there are two superbly trustworthy resources that look into and rank each and every car that makes it to market: the NHSTA and the IIHS. If you’re reading this article, you’re obviously considering a Dodge Ram, so read on to learn what these two respected organizations think about this particular car.

Figure 1. Dodge Ram 1500.

NHTSA Crash Test Ratings

For those unfamiliar, the NHSTA stands for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It is a group that falls under the federal government and is tasked with rating cars on three areas that could result in injury during car crash: front impact, side impact, and roll over.

What’s interesting is that the first two tests are actually measured by physically crashing the car; the third test, meanwhile, is figured out using an algorithm.

The NHTSA uses a five-star rating system to rank the vehicle on safety: five stars is the best, zero is the worst. Below is a summary on how the 2014 Dodge Ram 1500 performed in the NHTSA crash tests.

Crash Test
Rating
Front, Driver's
Front, Overall
Front, Passenger's
Other, Overall Rollover
Overall, Overall
Side, Overall Side
Side, Barrier Side
Side, Barrier Side Driver
Side, Pole
Side, Pole Barrier combined

**Results are for the 2014 RAM 1500 HFE 4x2 Regular Cab 120 in. WB**

Featured Video: Crash Test 2009-20** Dodge Ram 1500 SLT (Full Frontal)

IIHS Crash Test Data

The IIHS is the other organization you want to turn to in order to learn about how safe your vehicle is. The acronym stands for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety—they’re a nonprofit group that insurance companies fund and task with figuring out how much a certain type of car should be insured for: basically, the better the car, the lower the insurance. The IIHS uses four descriptions: poor, marginal, acceptable, and good, with “good” being the highest rating.

The 2014 Dodge Ram 1500 scored “good” in all but one category, making it a highly-rated vehicle in the eyes of insurers.

Head Restraints and Seats

  • Dynamic Rating — Good
  • Overall Rear — Good
  • Seat Head/Restraint Geometry — Good

Moderate Overlap Front

  • Chest — Good
  • Head/Neck — Good
  • Left Leg/Foot — Good
  • Overall Front — Good
  • Restraints — Good
  • Right Leg/Foot — Good
  • Structure/safety cage —Good

Other

  • Roof Strength — Marginal

**Data based on: 2014 RAM 1500 HFE 4x2 Regular Cab 120 in. WB**

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