These States Don't Care If You Ride In The Back Of A Pickup

Nothing feels more freeing than riding on the back of a pickup truck. The 365-degree view of the road, the wind in your hair, the dust in your eyes — it's an unbeatable experience. But as exhilarating as it is, pickup bed riding can also be quite dangerous. While there are some safe trucks according to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) — like the dual-motor 2024 Rivian R1T and the small 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz — it's still quite possible for passengers in pickup beds to get injured (or worse, die), especially if they're unrestrained. This is exactly why many states in the United States have regulations about riding in the back of pickup trucks.

For several states, riding on the bed of a pickup truck is allowed for all ages if the vehicle is part of an authorized parade (or caravans and the like) and used for agricultural activities, or if the passengers are on-duty employees or in a medical emergency. But what about in other circumstances?

There are only a few states that outright legalize riding on the bed of a pickup truck. For starters, in Oklahoma, passengers can ride on pickup-truck beds, as stated specifically in Oklahoma Statute 47-11-1114. Similarly, in the District of Columbia, Arkansas, and Utah, it's explicitly legal for passengers to ride on spaces in a truck intended for cargo.

Meanwhile, Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming don't have laws regarding passengers in pickup truck beds. That means it's generally fine to do so. However, many of these states do have strict laws regarding the use of seat belts, so you need to keep this in mind. In Indiana, for instance, a letter from the attorney general in 2007 clarified that its seat belt laws don't exempt passengers in the back of a pickup truck. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, passengers of pickup trucks in New Mexico, North Dakota, and West Virginia are also covered by their respective seat belt laws.

In Nebraska, there are no statewide laws regarding riding in pickup truck beds, but it's banned in some municipalities, including Lincoln and  Columbus (unless it's for a parade).

In 11 states, only adults are generally allowed to ride in the back of a pickup truck. There are, however, some exceptions. 

• Florida – Legal for passengers who are at least 18. Illegal those 17 and below on limited-access highways unless they're using safety restraints, are joined by an adult during a medical emergency, or are riding through a county that allows pickup-bed riding for minors.
• Georgia – Allowed for passengers 18 and up, and for minors if the pickup is driving on roads other than an interstate highway.
• Maine – Passengers should be at least 19, except for on-duty workers/trainees, licensed hunters, parade participants, Baxter State Park campers and hikers, and if the passenger is using a seat with a safety belt that the manufacturer installed.
• Michigan – Passengers should be 18 or more. Those 17 and under can ride if the pickup is moving at most 15 mph. Exemptions for parades, military, emergency vehicles, construction, and search-and-rescue.
• Missouri – Allowed for 18 and older. Allowed for any age in a parade; if the truck isn't on state or federal roads, or in a city; if an employee needs to ride for work; if a truck is family-owned and no other seats are available, or if the passenger uses a safety device to keep them secured to the truck.
• Nebraska – Illegal for anyone under 19. 
• Nevada – Needs to be 18 or older unless the truck is in a parade.
• Oregon – Only 18 and older are allowed unless in a parade, or if the minor uses a compliant safety belt or harness.
• Pennsylvania – Legal for 18 and above and when the truck is moving at 35 mph or less. Doesn't apply to children in parades, farm children being taken between parts of a farm, or children with hunting licenses being taken between camp and hunting sites.
• Texas – Passengers need to be at least 18 unless riding in a family-owned vehicle, a vehicle on a beach, or participating in a permitted hayride or parade.

You can also allow minors on the bed of pickup trucks that are used for farming in Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, and Texas.

Many states let minors go pickup-bed riding, but with provisions as such:

• Connecticut – Legal for aged 16 and above. Passengers below 16 need to wear a federally approved safety belt or must be riding the vehicle in for farming, or on a recreational hayride from August to December. 
• Maryland – Passenger should be at least 16, but younger riders are allowed on the bed as long as the vehicle is running no faster than 25 mph and they're wearing a seat belt.
• New York – Illegal when there are over five minors (17 and below) in the pickup bed unless accompanied by an adult over 18. Allowed for all ages when the distance is five miles or less. (New York Vehicle Traffic Law § 1222).
• Ohio – Allowed for 16 and older. For 15 and under, vehicles must not exceed 25 mph or passenger must be using an original-equipment seat and seat belt (not DIY truck bed mods).
• Rhode Island – Legal for 16 and over; legal for 15 or below if the child is secured to the truck. 
• Virginia – Passengers are required to be 16 or older, or being taken from one farm parcel to another. 

If the vehicle is used in a parade, these prohibitions don't apply to Connecticut and Virginia.

Children are allowed to ride in the pickup bed in some states, considering the conditions are met:

• Kansas – Legal for passengers 13 and below unless in a city or on a state highway, though legal even there if the children are in a parade or are employees doing their work. 
• Louisiana – Allowed for age 12 and above, but vehicles should stay off interstate highways. Under 12 is permitted in a parade under 15 mph, or in an emergency and accompanied by an adult.
• Massachusetts – At least 12 to ride on the bed. Passengers 11 and younger can be allowed if the vehicle is traveling at most 5 mph and only for a distance of five miles, or if the truck has an Owner Repair or Farm license plate, or is participating in farming.
• North Carolina – Illegal for 15 and under unless supervised by an adult or secured with a compliant seat belt, or engaged in farming or a parade, or in an emergency.
• South Carolina – Illegal for 14 years and younger unless supervised by an adult; using a federal-standard seat belt; riding a pickup truck with enclosed tailgate moving under 36 mph; being used for hunting, a parade, or a hayride; in an emergency; or driving in a county with no municipalities over 3,500 people. 
• Tennessee – Illegal for 5 years and below; legal for 6 to 12 years old if pickup truck isn't on the interstate, state highway, and isn't in a city or county where it's prohibited; legal for 12 years and older. Exemptions for farming and parades 20 mph and under.
• Wisconsin – Illegal for 15 years and below, unless taking part in farming, parades or hunting.

In some states, age doesn't matter when it comes to riding on the back of a pickup truck. However, there are conditions for it to be legal. Here's the breakdown of the requirements for states that allow pickup bed riding regardless of age:

• Alaska – Allowed as long as the person sits on the bed or on a seat built lower than the sideboards, or if the truck is being used in construction on a highway.
• California – Illegal unless the passenger is strapped in with a regulation-compliant restraint system, a farmer or rancher owns the truck and uses it on their private land, or the passenger is in an emergency situation.
• Colorado – Allowed, but passengers must be seated and the cargo area should be partially or fully bordered on all four sides.
• Hawaii – Not permitted unless all other seats are occupied, all sides are securely closed, all passengers are seated, and passengers are employees on duty. (For passengers 12 and below, it's illegal except during an emergency.) 
• New Jersey – Illegal except for on-duty employees. (New Jersey Statutes §39:4-69).

In Alaska, California, Colorado, and Hawaii, you can also have a person ride the back of a pickup truck if it's participating in a parade (and moving at most 8 miles per hour for California).