It may have been something kids were able to do several years ago, but in Texas it’s against the law for any child under the age of 18 to ride in the back of a pickup truck.
“Truck beds are intended for transporting cargo not passengers so it can be very dangerous. If it’s someone riding in the back of a truck that’s 18 or younger it’s actually a misdemeanor. You can face a fine up to 200 dollars,” Tiffany Pelt with the Lubbock Police Department said.
Carla Olson the Executive Director at The Parenting Cottage encourages parents to follow the law.
“When you look at the reason why child in car seats laws were developed it’s to reduce their chance of injury by 75%. So if putting them in a car seat helps then what would putting them outside the vehicle at any level make sense,” Olson said.
But Olson said there are some scenarios listed that would make it legal for a child to be in the back of a pickup truck.
“If you are in a parade or something like that or if you’re using it for agricultural purposes, like moving one field to another. Another way if it’s the only mode of transportation a household has then you can transport kids in the back. But none of those reasons necessarily mean it’s a safe way to transport either adults or children,” Olson said.
Both agreed that if an accident were to happen while a child was in the back of a truck the possibilities of severe injuries or even death are much more likely.
“When you’re riding in the open bed and if you fall out and you’re ejected your chances are you’ll sustain more serious injuries,” Pelt said.