Transit trucks and others have legions of fans and many applications. Of course, some people want to add extra seats to make vans even more convenient. Children under the age of 12 cannot ride in the back of a pickup truck unless the vehicle is travelling at 5 miles per hour or less and travelling five miles or less during its trip. Many states only allow passengers to drive in the back of a truck in certain situations: passengers under the age of 16 cannot sit in the back of the truck if the vehicle is traveling more than 25 miles per hour. Trucks must also be equipped with restraint systems for young drivers. In practice, the obligation to wear a seat belt makes it difficult to drive legally in a loading area. No person under the age of 18 may drive in the back of a truck while travelling on motorways or in urban areas. We now have a specific law to « drive in towed vehicles ». It states that you may not « occupy a trailer, semi-trailer, farmer`s car or any other vehicle while it is being towed on a public road. » So in general, if it`s towed, you can`t drive in it.
Yet, the question of security does not quite answer the question, is it legal? However, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Here`s everything you need to know before driving in the back of a truck. You can ride in the back of a pickup truck as long as you are 18 years of age or older. Passengers can sit in their bed as long as it has covered cargo space. Many people and pets drive in the back of a van, many without incident. However, there are usually no seat belts in the back. The lack of restraint systems causes serious bodily injury and is responsible for 47 percent of fatal crashes in 2017, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Installing seats in a truck isn`t cheap if you do it to keep up with state and federal safety regulations. As a result, many people simply do it the way they think it seems pretty safe. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety warns against loading areas. It is said that the beds of pickup trucks are designed to transport goods. And that they are not designed to provide protection in the event of an accident.
They also warn that « children and adults can easily be thrown out of the cargo holds at relatively low speeds to avoid an obstacle or accident. » Passengers under the age of 16 cannot sit on the loading area when the vehicle is travelling at speeds greater than 25 miles per hour. No one can drive in the back of a pickup truck if the tailgate is not secured. Only employees on duty can ride in the back of a van. You cannot drive in the back of the van on highways. No one under the age of 12 may sit behind highways. When you add passenger seats to a van, it can switch from commercial to cargo class. This usually triggers the need for a DMV inspection. The answer to this question varies because each state in the United States has its own standards – and sometimes the rules they set are strange. However, when it comes to driving in the back of a pickup truck, the laws are relatively clear. So, is it legal or not (in the US or Canada)? And if it`s not legal, when did it become illegal? Some states have specific rules for pickups, usually to allow people to ride in the back in certain conditions (low speed, on secondary roads, etc.). At least legally pulled passengers should always fasten their seatbelts – even on a parade float. Increasingly, craftsmen are using trucks such as transit vans both as a means of transportation and as a workshop.
The back of the van can be modified to be a work area instead of just transporting goods. A truck cannot travel at speeds greater than 35 miles per hour, with passengers under the age of 18 in the back. Thanks for the feedback! The IIHS website rightly points out that there is no specific law in Illinois regarding passengers in truck bodies. However, Illinois law requires passengers to wear seat belts unless the passenger falls under one of many exceptions. Since there is no exception for passengers driving on truck loading areas, Illinois law requires passengers to wear seat belts in truck loading areas. In this way, Illinois law effectively restricts driving on truck checkout areas through its seat belt requirement. RVs may have some (or all) seats in the back that are equipped with seat belts, and it is generally legal to ride on these seats. Speeding, sharp turns and bumpy roads are typical causes of injury to people sitting in the back of a truck. However, there are several reasons that make driving in the hold dangerous: only passengers aged 18 and over can climb onto a cargo area unless the area is fenced. On-duty employees can also drive in the back of a truck. Persons under the age of 18 must be fastened with a seat belt.
Otherwise, they will not be able to drive on the loading area. Specifically, a friend and I were discussing the opening of Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald, where the main character drives to a new house in the back of the moving truck with packed boxes. My (Canadian) boyfriend thought it was ridiculous and dangerous, and I replied that I didn`t think it was that bad, as I had seen many people in movies/TV before and even mentioned my own mom in the back with her siblings when she moved when she was a child. Only logged-in users can post comments. Please log in or register if you wish to leave a comment. We do our best to respond to any comments. We cannot provide legal advice in the comments, so if you have a question or need legal help, please see Getting Legal Help. In addition, the rules vary depending on the weight of the vehicle. The benches you see on Amazon may be fine in some vehicles and illegal in others. Are you worried about doing it alone? You may be able to get free legal help.
Is it legal to drive in the back of a pickup truck? Is it legal to drive in a trailer that is towed? No one under the age of 19 is allowed to drive in the back of a truck. It is illegal for persons under the age of 16 to drive in the cargo area unless they have a passenger restraint system. Footnote 1 The laws of these states prohibit driving on open parts of a vehicle that are not designed for passengers, although they do not specifically mention the cargo space of a pickup truck. ↩ Even after owning a car, any modifications you make must still comply with state and federal vehicle laws and regulations. When adding seats to a van, it can be difficult for the finished product to meet safety rules. If you don`t live in any of these states, your hometown regulates who can ride in the back of a pickup. Here`s what you need to know by state: To be legal, passengers in the trucks` loading area should be properly restrained. For young drivers, this would mean appropriate seats or booster seats. These requirements would apply to both open truck loading areas and those enclosed by an RV cap, topper or hull.
The next 19 states have no rules for driving in the back of a truck. In other words, you won`t have any legal problems for it: Most of the time, companies have professionally modified vans in a process known as van conversion. When this happens, the top rear half of the van can be cut and the height added. Not really. You can ride in the back of a pickup truck, but only if you fasten your seatbelt. And you can only drive in something that`s towed if it`s at low speeds or in an emergency. Depending on the weight of the vehicle and its classification, safety requirements may vary. If you`re adding seats to a truck, you should check if it`s classified as RV or RV. Most states do not specifically prohibit driving in the back of trucks, pickup trucks, recreational vehicles, etc.
Instead, they require all occupants of a vehicle to wear seat belts, which, of course, is not present in the back of trucks and vans. Regardless of state and federal laws, simply adding seats to the back of a van is very dangerous.
