If you’ve ever ridden in the bed of a truck, you may want to reconsider doing so next time, as it may be illegal with limited exceptions.
While riding in a truck bed may be permitted in certain scenarios, it can be highly dangerous for passengers.
No seatbelts or airbags runs the risk of passengers being ejected, and the vehicle’s structural frame combined with no secure seating leaves passengers vulnerable to environmental hazards and forces of the vehicles maneuvers.
Can you ride in the bed of a truck in Louisiana? What law says
In Louisiana, no individual under the age of 12 is permitted to be a passenger in the open bed of a truck with a gross weight of six thousand pounds or less, which is commonly a pickup truck, or in a utility trailer while traveling on a highway of the state, according to Lousiana State Legislature.
Additionally, no person is permitted to be a passenger in the open bed of a pickup truck while the vehicle is moving on an interstate highway of the state.
This does not apply to a pickup truck driving no more than 15 miles per hour while participating in an authorized parade in a controlled situation. Also, this does not apply to emergency situations if the child is accompanied within the truck bed by an adult, according to Louisiana State Legislature.
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Riding in house trailers, on fenders, on running boards, fenders, tailgates or on rear racks of pickup trucks or utlity trailers is prohibited while moving on a highway in Louisiana. However, this does not apply to emergencies and public sanitation vehicles, according to Louisiana State Legislature.
Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Is it legal to ride in the bed of a truck in Louisiana? See state law
