What's the deal?

[Toxick]

What is the deal with driving people around in the back of a pickup?

Legal? Illegal?

Two of my chilluns love to ride around in the back of my truck. Last summer, I just drove around the block, but if we actually went anywhere, I never let them ride back there, because I'm not sure what the law is?

Anyone know how legal it is to drive with kids in a pickup? Any restrictions?

 

[Ken King]

Originally posted by Toxick
What is the deal with driving people around in the back of a pickup?

Legal? Illegal?

Two of my chilluns love to ride around in the back of my truck. Last summer, I just drove around the block, but if we actually went anywhere, I never let them ride back there, because I'm not sure what the law is?

Anyone know how legal it is to drive with kids in a pickup? Any restrictions?

Illegal and not real bright even for short excursions.

 

[Toxick]

Re: Re: What's the deal?

Originally posted by Ken King
Illegal and not real bright even for short excursions.

That's it? Just flat out illegal? I could have sworn I talked to a cop one time who told me that you could do it if this and that rule were followed, etc.


And if you wanna be like that, letting your kids get on a swing is not real bright. Or go down a sliding board. Or swim. Or leave the house. I dont' think going around the block of a sleepy neighborhood is a risk.

 

[pixiegirl]

Re: Re: What's the deal?

Originally posted by Ken King
Illegal and not real bright even for short excursions.

Maybe I should get my momma on here to make a post.... I almost died riding in the back of a truck. 13 riding in the back, we flipped the truck, I flew out landed in an irrigation ditch head first, truck landed upside down on top of the ditch. First off, had the truck so much had been 1 inch to either side I'd of been crushed to death. If that wasn't bad enough I fractured c-1 (and am the miracle child because I'm not paralyzed, look up injuries involving c-1, worst bone to break), lacerated my spleen, got 8 stitches in the face and was probably the cause of the onset of my mother's anxiety attacks (she never had one before).

Oh yeah it was a mile and a half from where we left to where we were going. We made it about half way and were only going about 35 miles per hour.

 

[Ken King]

Re: Re: Re: What's the deal?

Originally posted by Toxick
That's it? Just flat out illegal? I could have sworn I talked to a cop one time who told me that you could do it if this and that rule were followed, etc.


And if you wanna be like that, letting your kids get on a swing is not real bright. Or go down a sliding board. Or swim. Or leave the house. I dont' think going around the block of a sleepy neighborhood is a risk.

21-1121 of the Transportation Article states,
"Prohibited acts.- An individual may not drive a Class E (truck) vehicle on a highway in the State while a passenger under the age of 16 years is riding in an unenclosed bed of the vehicle. "

There are exceptions for farm vehicles traveling under 25 MPH but I didn't think that is what you were asking.

 

[tater]

Re: Re: Re: What's the deal?

Originally posted by pixiegirl
Maybe I should get my momma on here to make a post.... I almost died riding in the back of a truck. 13 riding in the back, we flipped the truck, I flew out landed in an irrigation ditch head first, truck landed upside down on top of the ditch. First off, had the truck so much had been 1 inch to either side I'd of been crushed to death. If that wasn't bad enough I fractured c-1 (and am the miracle child because I'm not paralyzed, look up injuries involving c-1, worst bone to break), lacerated my spleen, got 8 stitches in the face and was probably the cause of the onset of my mother's anxiety attacks (she never had one before).

Oh yeah it was a mile and a half from where we left to where we were going. We made it about half way and were only going about 35 miles per hour.

Pretty much cinches that

 

[Toxick]

Re: Re: Re: Re: What's the deal?

Originally posted by Ken King
21-1121 of the Transportation Article states,
"Prohibited acts.- An individual may not drive a Class E (truck) vehicle on a highway in the State while a passenger under the age of 16 years is riding in an unenclosed bed of the vehicle. "

There are exceptions for farm vehicles traveling under 25 MPH but I didn't think that is what you were asking.

I was asking in general - what are the rules? I coulda sworn that I talked to a policeman one time and asked him about this, and he gave me a small list of items, like the person has to be 12 years old, or you have to have an adult around; they have to be sitting - there has to be some sort of mat to sit on... a bunch of stuff like that.

But your quote above answers my question nicely.

Thanks.

 

[RPM]

do yourself and your kids a favor...

buy a convertible. they will like it just as much, and it will be A LOT safer.

just my opinion though. do what you want.

if they get killed in the back of a truck, at least someone may put you in for a darwin award.

 

[RPM]

btw,

the only way its leagle is if the truck has a cap...

 

[Toxick]

Re: do yourself and your kids a favor...

Originally posted by RPM
if they get killed in the back of a truck, at least someone may put you in for a darwin award.

Thanks for checking in, and not being judgemental.


I'll think about you the next time I'm careening down I-95 while my children are horizontal, and hanging from the back of the tailgate like a flag, flapping in the wind.

 

[vraiblonde]

Originally posted by Toxick
hanging from the back of the tailgate like a flag, flapping in the wind.

We used to ride in the back of my grandfather's pickup all the time and we lived to tell about it. :shrug:

Everything's illegal now - no more riding in the back of a pickup, no riding your bike without full body armor, no getting your butt whipped if you were naughty. Sheesh.

 

[vraiblonde]

Whoops! Never mind!

 

[Toxick]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
Whoops! Never mind!

Haha.

It really is more dangerous these days.

 

[Elle]

I thought it was legal to ride in the back of an uncovered pickup truck if you have seats with safety belts installed and even then I think there is an age limit. Although the curb guys on 235 just hop in and take off all the time and the cops don't mind so who knows.

 

[Ken King]

It used to be a normal and common practice, the current version is dated as last being changed in 1996 and I seem to recall that it came about after a very nasty accident (I think in the Crofton/Gambrills area) in which several high-schoolers were killed when a teen lost control of his truck and flipped killing several of the other kids riding in the back.

Tys_mommy, if those riding in the back are older then 16 then it seems that it is still okay. I'm not sure how a vehicle equipped as you describe would be met by law enforcement if there were a passenger under 16 back there. If they classify the vehicle as an SUV and not the Class E pickup it might be legal.

 

[Christy]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
We used to ride in the back of my grandfather's pickup all the time and we lived to tell about it. :shrug:

Everything's illegal now - no more riding in the back of a pickup, no riding your bike without full body armor, no getting your butt whipped if you were naughty. Sheesh.

If you want to split hairs, riding in a vehicle PERIOD is dangerous. If we really and truly cared for the safety of our children, we'd pass a law making it illegal for them to ride in automobiles until they turn 18.

 

[Ken King]

Originally posted by Christy


If you want to split hairs, riding in a vehicle PERIOD is dangerous. If we really and truly cared for the safety of our children, we'd pass a law making it illegal for them to ride in automobiles until they turn 18.

And at what age should they be allowed to use (or assist someone using) a maul and wedge?

 

[Christy]

Originally posted by Ken King
And at what age should they be allowed to use (or assist someone using) a maul and wedge?

If she is a blonde airhead, I'd say ohhhhh, NEVER!

 

[RPM]

accident in gambrills/crofton area....

it occured on patuxant road, about 1 mile from my grandmothers house. it was around 1982.

if memory serves me, there were 15 teenagers and a 20 year old piled into the truck. the 20 year old was driving.

they went off the road and hit a tree. estimated speed was around 40mph i think.

no exageration here at all.... they recovered at least 5 of the bodies from up in trees.

i was 9 years old when it happened. Odenton is a small community, known only for fort meade really.

it was a bad time.

 

[itsbob]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
We used to ride in the back of my grandfather's pickup all the time and we lived to tell about it. :shrug:

Everything's illegal now - no more riding in the back of a pickup, no riding your bike without full body armor, no getting your butt whipped if you were naughty. Sheesh.

Same same.. used to ride in the back of my uncle's truck in the summer when I worked on his farm.. Only way to get to the ice cream store! Him and my aunt in the front and 4 or 5 of us in the back.. the little peices of hay in the back would get blowin around and sting like a bee..

Used to take my kids to the neighborhood playground in the back of mine..

OK, so it's illegal now.. but how much safer is it to let them ride on the back of a motorcycle?

OR how many kids a year were hurt or killed a year in the back of a pick-up compared to how many die every year in regular cars?

Even the playgrounds we played on are now illegal.. used to swing and climb monkey bars, and REAL tall slides.. built over blacktop...