If you have ever driven around Central Texas – especially in rural areas – the odds are you have seen someone riding in the back of a pickup truck. You may even have done so yourself. But is it legal to ride in the bed of a truck in Texas? Moreover, what happens if you get into an accident with someone riding in the back of a pickup truck?
Can You Sit in the Bed of a Truck in Texas?
In Texas, it is legal for adults to ride in the back of a pickup truck. However, Texas Transportation Code 545.414 states that minors under the age of 18 cannot ride in the back of a pickup truck unless any of the following situations apply:
- The truck is in a parade, or it’s an emergency.
- The truck is on a road that farmworkers use to move from one field to another or from one farm to the market.
- The truck is operating on a beach.
- The truck is the only vehicle that the household owns.
- The truck is giving a legally allowed hayride.
In this context, “household” can mean any group living in the same dwelling, regardless of whether they are related.
Violating this law is a misdemeanor offense that carries a fine of between $25 and $200.
What Are the Risks of Riding in a Truck Bed?
Even though riding in the back of a truck is legal for adults, it is not always a good idea to do so. Truck beds lack seat belt restraints and other safety features that reduce accident fatalities, such as airbags. During an accident, passengers in the bed can be thrown from the vehicle and sustain serious injuries when they strike the road. Truck bed passengers can also fall off the back if the driver makes sharp turns and maneuvers.
Legal Consequences After an Accident Involving a Truck Bed Rider
Texas’ truck bed law states that compliance or noncompliance cannot stand as evidence in a civil trial. This means that whether or not anyone was riding in the bed of a truck at the time of an accident shouldn’t affect liability in a personal injury case. Drivers are responsible for the safety of their passengers, regardless of whether they are in the cabin or truck bed. If a driver causes an accident and injures a passenger in the truck bed, the driver can be responsible for the passenger’s medical bills, lost income, and other losses.
Talk to a Truck Accident Lawyer in New Braunfels, TX
Burch Law Firm has been proud to represent accident victims in Central Texas for more than 30 years. We have the skills, resources, and tenacity to pursue your claim for maximum compensation and to assert your rights in the face of attempts to undermine your claim. Contact us online or call today to receive a free case evaluation with a truck accident lawyer in New Braunfels, TX. We look forward to hearing your story and explaining how we can help.
