is it legal to ride in the back of a deuce and a half

[omega231]

Hey, that sounds almost................AMERICAN!!!

 

[AceHigh]

WV has no laws at all on this.
Yet.

Still, only 34 states have laws that prohibit riding in the back of a truck.
Virginia law prohibits passengers under the age of 16 from riding in truck beds. It does not prohibit adults from riding back there.
In Maryland, anyone over the age of 16 may ride in the back of the truck. If you are 15, you may ride in the back as long as the truck is traveling 25 mph or lower. However, Maryland makes an exception for pickup trucks that have covered cargo areas – the reasoning being that the covered cargo area will contain the person in the event of an accident.
West Virginia, on the other hand, has absolutely no law governing who may ride in the back of the truck. In the absence of a law, it is perfectly permissible to ride in the truck bed.
In South Carolina, only people under the age of 15 are prohibited from riding in a pickup truck. However, South Carolina makes several exceptions. For example, the child may ride back there (1) with an adult, (2) in emergency situations, (3) while hunting or in some agricultural enterprise.
In North Carolina, only children under the age of 12 are prohibited from riding in a truck bed.
As you can see, truck bed laws vary greatly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. As a general rule, the laws become more and more lax as the state becomes more and more rural. This is because of the necessities of farm life that sometimes require children to ride in the back of a pickup truck.
In any case, if you can avoid riding in the back or having a child back there, you should do so. This practice costs the nation about 200 lives per year. Any steps we can take toward prevention should be taken.
About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the NE North Carolina (NC) border and handles car,truck,railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. Our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY.


http://www.superlawyers.com/virginia/http://www.milliondollaradvocates.com/http://www.theatla.com/richard-shapiro.htmlhttp://www.primerus.com/about.htm http://www.hsinjurylaw.com/case-results.cfm

 

[SterlingDevelop]

In the absence of a law, it is perfectly permissible

Hey, that sounds almost like...........FREEDOM!!!!

As a general rule, the laws become more and more lax as the state becomes more and more rural.

Translation: Everybody wants to rule the world.

 

[Jones]

In addition to making sure you're in compliance of the law, you might want to keep and use Release of Liability forms for all your riders.
Even on private property, should someone take a header out ot the back of the truck, you'll want to be protected from any lawsuits.
Regardless of fault, you don't need to be wasting your time, sitting in some courthouse.

 

[Tanner]

In North Carolina it appears to be legal to ride in the back of a pick-up truck, leading me to believe it ok to do so. In California where I lived, I believe if the Law saw it they would have SWAT out and you'd be on the 6:00 news "cult leader attempts mass suicide with members" We all know the dangers of riding in the back, and with such a high center of gravity for the passengers in the Deuce bed, the troop seats may exaservate the rolling effect and tossing of the passengers in turns and rough terrain. Alot of states have made riding in pick-up trucks illeagle, so I would suspect the same rules apply to a scenario such as a Deuce or MV in general. In California it was legal with a affixed seat and seat restraints (seatbelts) The Highway Patrol don't mess around, and are highly educated in Vehicle Codes. However you could go to your local library and look at your particular State Vehicle Codes, they should likly have the State code version there for viewing.

Info on kids/Adults in back of trucks in North Carolina: (from Cabell Garbee's website - Carrying Children in a Pickup Bed in North Carolina and the Seat Belt Law

Carrying Children in a Pickup Bed in North Carolina and the Seat Belt Law
It may be a good idea to keep a copy of this page with the excerpts of the general stature handy in your vehicle just in case somebody isn't up to date and tries to give you a hard time about hauling folks in the back of your truck, especially if you have a military vehicle with the troop seats mounted and in use.

The North Carolina Law on children as passengers in the back comes under NCGS §20-135.2B. Easiest place to get an understandable version of the various statutes is from the NCDMV Handbook (which is online as are the General Statutes).

I could not find a specific law concerning carrying adults in the back of a pickup but there are some concerning endangerment and public drunkenness that I suspect some law enforcement members would be compelled to exercise on occasion...

The Law on Transporting Children in the Back of a Pick-up Truck in North Carolina
On January 1, 1995, a separate NC law went into effect that prohibits children less than age twelve from riding in the open bed of a pick-up truck. (NCGS §20-135.2B) An open bed or open cargo area is a bed or cargo area without permanent overhead restraining construction. The operator of the vehicle having an open bed or open cargo is responsible for compliance with this law. The statute does, however, contain some exemptions. The provisions for proper securement of children do not apply:

1) If an adult is present in the bed or cargo area of the vehicle and is supervising the child;
2) If the child is secured or restrained by a seatbelt manufactured in compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, installed to support a load strength of not less than 5,000 pounds for each belt, and of a type approved by the Commissioner;
3) If an emergency situation exists;
4) If the vehicle is being operated in a parade pursuant to a valid permit;
5) If the vehicle is being operated in an agricultural enterprise; or
6) If the vehicle is being operated in a county which has no incorporated area with a population in excess of 3,500.

Violators are issued tickets and are subject to a fine of $25.00. Violations of this law have been defined as “infractions” and do not incur court costs, driver license points or insurance surcharges.

The following 32 counties are exempt from the “pickup truck” law based on the absence of incorporated areas with populations exceeding 3,500: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Bertie, Camden, Caswell, Cherokee, Clay, Currituck, Duplin, Franklin, Gates, Graham, Green, Hyde, Jackson, Jones, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Montgomery, Northhampton, Pamlico, Pender, Perquimans, Polk, Swain, Tyrrell, Warren, Yadkin, and Yancey.

YMMV...

'Tanner'