People in the Bed of a truck (neighborhood, living)

[TiggnTaz]

I am sorry if this has been noted before but,....

Is there any law about riding in the back of a pick up truck? I moved to Jax from NJ and in NJ if you rode in the back you would be pulled over right away. I see it almost every day since I moved to Jax. Mostly just around the area that I live but I also saw someone riding in the bed going down 95.

I ask because I have a pick up and Monkey see Monkey do.

[apanda]

Yes there is a law. It is not legal

[heydade]

it's not legal, but rarely enforced. Most of the people you see in the back of those pickup trucks have to be there....they are being picked up to go work to make a living. Very dangerous though....I speak from experience. Being thrown from the back of a pickup truck 50 feet and hitting your skull on the hot asphalt is not a pretty sight. Imagine a watermelon being shot 50 ft from one point and landing on a hard surface.

[Robhu]

It depends on where you live.
In Ohio it is illegal for anyone under 12 yrs old to ride in the open bed of a pickup. It is not illegal for an adult to ride in an open bed of a pickup.
At least that is what a cop I knew told me about 5 years ago.
I haven't heard anything about the law being changed.
If you see this being done a lot in your area it is probably legal or at least not enforced.
Best to call your local law enforcement agency and ask what the laws are in your area.

[5FLgirls]

My friend who moved to Jax from CA had the same issue. She could not believe that those drivers weren't being pulled over and ticketed. I guess I just didn't notice it after awhile. I usually flip out when I see children in the back of the pick ups. What are people thinking?????

[riveree]

Originally Posted by apanda

Yes there is a law. It is not legal

Yep, not legal here !

Not that it stops anyone.....

I hate seeing dogs in the back too. I know they love it, but if the truck has to swerve or suddenly slam on the brakes, the dogs can get really hurt (as would a person...but dogs are smaller - the size of children).

[rtt]

A truck like that from Comcast (formerly ?? Mediaone) hit me from behind. The workers were flung all over the road. They all seemed to be alright but I couldn't believe they were riding around like that. Yes, there's alot around here on the road that's rarely enforced, and I see teens and kids all the time in the back of the trucks, dogs, too.

[titaniummd]

It is legal. Welcome to the South. I lived in South Carolina and rode in the back (as a teenageer) a few times. A 'friend' driving a truck in the residential neighborhood at 50 mph, while I was in the truck bed, and then taking a curve made me think twice about riding in the back again (I felt like I was about to fly out of there and become the hood ornament of the car sitting in the yard).

Just don't try to ride in the back while swimming in the pool, that's all.

Redneck Swimming Pool

[Magnolia Bloom]

In Florida, those over 18 may ride in the bed of a pick-up. And it appears that minors may, too, if secured by safety restraints.

316.2015, Florida Statutes

(b) It is unlawful for any operator of a pickup truck or flatbed truck to permit a minor child who has not attained 18 years of age to ride upon limited access facilities of the state within the open body of a pickup truck or flatbed truck unless the minor is restrained within the open body in the back of a truck that has been modified to include secure seating and safety restraints to prevent the passenger from being thrown, falling, or jumping from the truck. This paragraph does not apply in a medical emergency if the child is accompanied within the truck by an adult. A county is exempt from this paragraph if the governing body of the county, by majority vote, following a noticed public hearing, votes to exempt the county from this paragraph.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=& URL=Ch0316/SEC2015.HTM&Title=->2007->Ch0316->Section%202015#0316.2015

[apanda]

Originally Posted by HIF

In Florida, those over 18 may ride in the bed of a pick-up. And it appears that minors may, too, if secured by safety restraints.

316.2015, Florida Statutes

(b) It is unlawful for any operator of a pickup truck or flatbed truck to permit a minor child who has not attained 18 years of age to ride upon limited access facilities of the state within the open body of a pickup truck or flatbed truck unless the minor is restrained within the open body in the back of a truck that has been modified to include secure seating and safety restraints to prevent the passenger from being thrown, falling, or jumping from the truck. This paragraph does not apply in a medical emergency if the child is accompanied within the truck by an adult. A county is exempt from this paragraph if the governing body of the county, by majority vote, following a noticed public hearing, votes to exempt the county from this paragraph.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=& URL=Ch0316/SEC2015.HTM&Title=->2007->Ch0316->Section%202015#0316.2015

Good info! So you cannot just jump in the back of a truck and take off, there has to be seat belts and some sort of seat.

Riv-- I feel the same way about all of those dogs. I saw a big Lab jump out of the truck after a cat at a stop light once, I guess he was smart enough to wait for a complete stop