Pick up Rules (Tampa, Bell: car insurance, crime, high school)

[k101608]

I moved here from NJ just a couple of months ago and was in for quite a shock when I saw so many people driving around in pick up trucks with people sitting in the back (sometimes kids!) That is just something you never see in NJ.

Is this really allowed down here? Or are tons of people just getting away with it?

[tilli]

Unless they have changed the law since the last time I talked to a cop about it, it is legal to ride in the back of a pickup with your back up against the cab.

[k101608]

So it's actually legal to have an Unrestraint child in the back of a pickup?

[tilli]

No I think that only applies to adults.

[seain dublin]

This is the land of the lawless...LOL.. they pretty much do whatever they want including driving around with no car insurance.

FYI- FL is in the top 5 states in the US for having uninsured motorists.

There are horrific car accidents here every week and most involve drunk and reckless drivers and many do not wear seatbelts.

TBA leads the nation in deadly teen crashes.

We lived in CA for many years, and while there are some crazy drivers, nothing compares to here.

And yes it is shocking to see people riding in the back of trucks, but like I say anything pretty much goes here.

Then they all wonder why there is so much carnage on the roads here.

I find driving here to be down right scary.

[Krulik]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

This is the land of the lawless...LOL.. they pretty much do whatever they want including driving around with no car insurance.

FYI- FL is in the top 5 states in the US for having uninsured motorists.

There are horrific car accidents here every week and most involve drunk and reckless drivers and many do not wear seatbelts.

TBA leads the nation in deadly teen crashes.

We lived in CA for many years, and while there are some crazy drivers, nothing compares to here.

And yes it is shocking to see people riding in the back of trucks, but like I say anything pretty much goes here.

Then they all wonder why there is so much carnage on the roads here.

I find driving here to be down right scary.

You posted this so many times that we DID get the message.

About FL vs. CA. FYI......

"Where is your car most likely to get stolen? In Las Vegas, Nev., according to recent statistics released by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). After a three-year run, Sin City has fallen into the dreaded top position formerly belonging to Modesto, Calif.

Since 2005, West Coast states have ranked the highest in auto theft rates, with five top vehicle theft cities resting in California alone.

The NICB recently released its 2006 statistics, ranking 10 of the country's top metropolitan cities with the highest vehicle theft rates. As of 2006, the top 10 vehicle theft cities include:

1. Las Vegas/Paradise, Nev.
2. Stockton, Calif.
3. Visalia/Porterville, Calif.
4. Phoenix/Mesa/Scottsdale, Ariz.
5. Modesto, Calif.
6. Seattle/Tacoma/Bellevue, Wash.
7. Sacramento/Arden-Arcade/Roseville, Calif.
8. Fresno, Calif.
9. Yakima, Wash.
10. Tucson, Ariz.

The top 10 cities were compiled using data supplied by the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Statistics from each of the nation's 361 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) were combined with the number of vehicle theft offenses per 100,000 inhabitants, as reported by the 2005 U.S. Census Population Estimates. These current figures produced cities with the largest vehicle theft rates based on population."

[seain dublin]

Car theft doesn't usually killl you. I am talking about reckless driving and drivers who don't have car insurance.

I am more concerned about road safety.

Tampa Bay leads the nation in deadly car crashes involving teenagers.

The road rules here are too lax. Period.

[seain dublin]

Another thing in CA if you are caught drag racing( like Nick Bollea) your car is seized and sold at auction.

Bollea after getting a slap on the wrist was allowed to keep his driver's license in FL and given three years probation.

When he relocated to CA he was told by the state he will not be driving in CA.

Florida is too lax on many things. Including not testing seniors for eye and road tests to see if they should be behind the wheel.

I know of two different people who were in bad car accidents caused by seniors(and I don't mean all seniors) who didn't even know they caused a crash.

In both cases the police issued them a ticket. And these were bad crashes.

But no suspension of the DL or an evaluation to determine if they should be driving, nothing. Free to go and cause more angst for other people.

Way too lax here and you see the results every day on the news.

It is shocking when you move from another part of the country as the OP asked about riding in the back of trucks, and see what goes on, and then see the amount of horrific crashes that take place here.

[annaegel]

I lived in Bergen County, in NJ 4 years ago. I have seen it occasionally there. I have travelled all across the U.S. and have found most places let adults, kids and pets riding in the back of the pick up. I agree to it's lack of safety. Too many people have died from having them riding in the back of the pick up. If the law allows, they will do it.

I find the most dangerous time to travel in Tampa is when the high school students are let out of school. They are pretty rude and drive like maniacs. The law has changed recently about when teens can drive. Use to be you could get your drivers permit at 15 and be driving a car by 16. Now, if you were born after 1995 (not exactly sure of the year, but around then), you cannot get your drivers permit until 17 and license by 18. Too many accidents are occuring. I am hoping this changes things.

[Krulik]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

Car theft doesn't usually killl you. I am talking about reckless driving and drivers who don't have car insurance.

I am more concerned about road safety.

Tampa Bay leads the nation in deadly car crashes involving teenagers.

The road rules here are too lax. Period.

I would be curious to know your sources anyway. I did a quick search and found that in fact, California and Texas are the states leading for teenage crashes, crashes + death and crashes + injury.