(iSeeCars) - Vehicle safety should be a primary consideration for every truck buyer, but what defines a safe truck?iSeeCars uses the rating systems from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) as the basis for deriving an iSeeCars safety score for each truck. These rating systems include NHTSA’s 5-star rating that tests a vehicle’s crashworthiness in a frontal crash, side impact crash, and rollover crash, plus the rollover risk for a given vehicle. IIHS’ rating system uses Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ to define a truck’s overall rating, and is based on three crash tests that include frontal crash tests, side crash tests, and a roof strength test. IIHS also rates safety features like head restraints, front crash prevention technology, and headlight performance.The safest pickup trucks will earn a five-star rating from NHTSA and an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, but iSeeCars doesn’t base its safety score on good ratings from a single model year. Instead we average a truck’s safety ratings over five model years to come up with a 5-year average to determine a given model’s safety score. We also include a list of standard and optional safety features for each truck, including forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic high beams. These safety equipment lists will vary somewhat by truck type, with full-size pickups like the Ram 1500 and Toyota Tundra offering features that the midsize Ford Ranger and compact pickups like the Hyundai Santa Cruz don’t. See a complete list of pickup truck off-road, towing, and safety technologies, along with an explanation of how they work, below.How to Practice Vehicle SafetyNew vehicles are safer than ever, but even today’s advanced safety systems can’t overcome unsafe driving habits. With modern trucks offering car-like ride and handling, drivers can be lulled into thinking they are as light and nimble as a traditional car. But trucks remain taller and heavier than a sedan or wagon, giving them increased flexibility and, in crew cab models like the Rivian R1T and Nissan Titan, increased passenger capacity. But their elevated weight and center of gravity puts trucks at a greater risk of rollover.Truck drivers must take these factors into consideration, allowing for more stopping distance and careful maneuvering when parking. And because trucks can travel off-road, drivers should understand how all-wheel drive (or four-wheel drive) and other off-road technologies work before leaving the pavement. A truck’s advanced powertrain and elevated ground clearance can’t make up for a lack of knowledge and bad decisions during off-road excursions.The same is true when using a truck for towing, which can be dangerous if a driver doesn’t understand how to safely attach a trailer and drive it in a prudent manner. Technologies like trailer sway control and a trailer brake controller can reduce towing risks, but drivers should have a full understanding of proper towing protocol before their first trailering experience. Also keep in mind that fuel economy can be drastically impacted when towing, with a truck’s mpg dropping as the trailer’s weight increases.As a pickup truck driver you’re the most important safety feature in your vehicle. You can use the lists below to identify which trucks offer the highest safety scores and what safety technologies are standard or optional on higher trim levels. But you must always supplement those systems with safe and prudent driving practices, such as wearing your seat belt, maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles, and remaining focused on the task of driving your truck responsibly.Modern Safety Technology Terms and Definitions: Automatic Emergency Braking: When forward sensors detect an imminent collision they can apply the brakes, even when the driver doesn’t, to assist with front crash prevention. Automatic High Beams: The vehicle can automatically switch between low beams and high beams when appropriate. Blind-Spot Monitor: Alerts the driver when another vehicle is in the blind spot to reduce the chance of a collision during a lane change. Cross-Traffic Alert, Forward and Rear: Sensors monitor the movement of vehicles passing in front of, or behind, a parked vehicle, alerting the driver to potential collisions; rear cross traffic alert is particularly help when backing out of a parking space with tall vehicles on the drivers and passenger side. Driver Attention Monitoring: Monitors driver behavior and creates an audible and visual warning if the driver shows signs of distraction or fatigue. Electronic stability control (ESC): Electronic stability control automatically applies the brakes when a vehicle skids or slides on slippery surfaces or curvy roads. This safety technology is so important that it has been required in most vehicles since 2012. Forward (or Pre-) Collision Warning: Alerts the driver of a potential or likely collision; this system often works with Automatic Emergency Braking to improve front crash prevention Hill Descent Control: Uses the traction control and brake system to maintain a set speed as a vehicle descends an off-road or slippery surface while coming down a steep incline Hill Start Assist (or Hill Hold): Maintains brake pressure to keep a vehicle from moving after the brake pedal is released and before the throttle is applied, making it easier to control a vehicle operating on a steep incline. Lane Centering: More advanced than Lake-Keeping Assist, Lane Centering uses small steering corrections to keep a vehicle centered in its lane. Lane Departure Warning: Alerts the driver when the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane. Lane-Keeping Assist: Monitors the vehicle’s position in its lane and makes steering corrections if a vehicle starts to drift out of its laneParking Sensors, Front and Rear: produces audible warnings when parking a vehicle to help the driver understand how close the vehicle is to a solid object (another car, wall, etc.) Pedestrian Detection: Uses sensors to detect pedestrians and can apply brakes to avoid collisions or reduce vehicle speed prior to collision. Radar Cruise Control (also known as Smart Cruise Control or Adaptive Cruise Control): Uses sensors to maintain a set distance from vehicles traveling in front of the primary vehicle, thus reducing the need for driver input to maintain a set speed. Rear Seat Reminder: Reminds the driver to check the rear seat area before exiting the vehicle and can sound the horn if rear-seat movement is detected after the vehicle is locked Safe Exit Assist: Monitors street traffic when a car is parked to reduce the likelihood of opening a door when another vehicle is approaching or passing by Steering Assist: Can steer the vehicle away from an imminent collision Surround View (or 360-Degree) Camera: Provides an overhead view of the vehicle in the infotainment system to see how much space is available on all sides when parking or moving at low speeds. Trailer Brake Controller: Integrates a trailer’s brake system with the tow vehicle’s brake system, automatically applying both when the driver applies the brakes. Trailer Sway Control: Applies brakes to individual wheels to slow a towing vehicle down when trailer instability is detected. Here are the safest trucks by category, ranked by their safety score. The iSeeCars "Safest Car" rankings are based on an analysis of crash tests and safety ratings from the U.S. government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Safest Midsize Trucks Honda Ridgeline – 10/10 Toyota Tacoma – 8.0/10 Ford Ranger – 8.0/10 GMC Canyon – 8.0/10 Nissan Frontier – 8.0/10 Safest Full-Size Trucks Ford F-150 – 9.6/10 Ram 1500 – 9.5/10 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 – 8.8/10 GMC Sierra 1500 – 8.8/10 Ram 1500 Classic – 8.2/10 Safest Small Trucks Hyundai Santa Cruz – 10/10 Ford Maverick – 8.0/10 Safest Heavy Duty Trucks Ford F-250 Super Duty – 8.7/10 GMC Sierra 2500HD – 8.0/10 Ram 2500 – 8.0/10 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD – 8.0/10 Safest 6-Seater Trucks Ford F-150 – 9.6/10 Ram 1500 – 9.5/10 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 – 8.8/10 GMC Sierra 1500 – 8.8/10 Ford F-250 Super Duty – 8.7/10 When choosing a truck, safety is a top priority, and these rankings highlight the best options in various categories. Whether you're looking for a midsize, full-size, or heavy-duty truck, these models offer top safety scores to give you peace of mind on the road. Make sure to consider your specific needs and preferences when selecting the safest truck for you. More from iSeeCars: Best Family Trucks Best Gas Mileage Trucks Most Reliable Trucks About iSeeCars.com iSeeCars.com is a data-driven car search and research company that helps shoppers find the best car deals by providing key insights and valuable resources, including the iSeeCars VIN Check report and Best Cars Rankings. iSeeCars has saved users over $423 million so far by applying big data analytics powered by over 25 billion (and growing) data points and using proprietary algorithms to objectively analyze, score and rank millions of new cars and used cars. This article, Safest Trucks for 2024, originally appeared on iSeeCars.com.