If you’ve ever been involved in a crash, you may be looking at getting a bigger vehicle. One thing you should know is that the kind of vehicle you drive can have a significant impact on your risk of injuries in a collision.

One vehicle that can pose a threat to smaller, lower vehicles is the pickup truck. A pickup truck has a higher center of gravity and is made stiffer. The pickup’s front end isn’t designed to crumple in a collision in the same way as a car. Occupants in smaller, lower vehicles are more likely to be injured since the vehicles may not meet bumper to bumper.

Occupants inside pickup trucks aren’t totally safe, either. Since the vehicle is more rigid, the rear passengers may be at a higher risk of injury in a collision than those in the front seats. Without being weighed down, the vehicle may also be more likely to roll, since it has a higher center of gravity.

Pickup trucks are built with strength in mind, but they are almost always at a disadvantage during crash tests. Very few receive five-star safety ratings.

Changes are being made to these vehicles to make them safer, such as adding electronic stability control and pre-collision assist. It’s hoped that as technology continues to improve, changes can be made that will continue to make pickup trucks safer for their occupants and others on the roads.

Pickup trucks made up around 15% of vehicle sales in 2016, and they continue to be popular. If you’re hit by one and suffer significant injuries, you may be able to pursue a claim against the driver who made errors and caused a crash.