Passengers in the back of pickups

[68-eldo]

Re: Passengers in the back of pickups

Does the supposed "necessity" of needing to use the back of a pickup for transportation outweigh the safety factor?

I believe that is the crux of the problem, the family cannot afford a second vehicle and the pickup is needed for the family farm. And the family is too large to fit everybody in the cab. Forbidding kids in the bed of a truck would be a hardship on the family, so the law makers took pity on the family. Not that I necessarily agree with that. I guess they can’t write laws that only pertain to the people that can afford to obey them.

[Amati]

In the news today is an article about a youth (age 16) who fell out of the back of a moving pickup. First off, let's hope he recovers quickly. This topic is NOT meant to be a commentary on the actions of children/youth. It is about adults in the role of decision makers.

This type of accident would be avoidable if passengers where not allowed to ride in the back of pickups. Or perhaps disallow children/youth from riding in the back of a pickup, meaning those under 18.

What do other states do? Some have no laws, some have restrictions. Attorneys.com states, "States with Restrictions: The remaining 30 states have laws primarily designed for the protection of children. Some of them extend to ages as old as 19, while a few prohibit any riding in the back."

In Hawaii, when is it is allowed? "Hawaii (no room in the passenger compartment)". Additionally, the passenger must be over age 12 [Justia].

Do we have a societal obligation to pass laws to protect the general public?
Is there a higher standard of obligation in respect to protecting youth (those under 18)?
Does the supposed "necessity" of needing to use the back of a pickup for transportation outweigh the safety factor?