All states allow certain passengers to ride in carriage beds—in certain situations. Twenty states do not have a law limiting riding in horses. Other states specify things like how young a passenger must be to jump in the back of a truck, or how fast that truck can move. Keep reading for state-by-state details.
Is it safe to ride in the bed of a pickup truck?
It is not as safe to ride in the bed of a pickup truck as it is in a cab. First, most pickup trucks do not have seats or seat belts. Secondly, passengers can suffer from hearing impairment due to wind noise or even respiratory problems.
The following 20 states do not have laws preventing you from putting any passenger in the bed of your pickup truck: AL, AK, AZ, DE, ID, IL, IN, IA, KY, MN, MS, MT, NH, ND, OK, SD and VT, WA, WV, and WY. Review the guidelines for all states in our table below.
This data came from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, via Heavy Duty Trucks.
| state | Who can ride in truck beds |
| Alabama | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| Alaska | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| Arizona | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| Arkansas | Employees at work, when they are in a space 1) inside the truck body and 2) reserved for cargo. |
| California | If 1) using a federally approved system 2) while traveling at 8 mph or slower 3) in a farmer-owned truck on a farm or on a highway 1 mile or shorter between two parts of the farm, or 4) during an emergency stop. |
| Colorado | Anyone if the bed is at least partially enclosed on all four sides. |
| Connecticut | Persons 16 years of age or older. Persons 15 years of age or younger are allowed to use seat belts. Also parades, farming, and hayrides in August and December. |
| Delaware | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| District of Columbia | Employees at work, when they are in a space 1) inside the truck body and 2) reserved for cargo. |
| fl | There are no restrictions for passengers 18 and over. Passengers 17 years or younger must be in an enclosed cargo area or a seat with a seat belt. Some local laws and roads with limited access may prohibit minors from riding in truck beds. |
| Georgia | No restrictions off the highway. On the highway, persons 17 years of age or younger must be in a covered cargo area. |
| Hawaii | No restrictions on marches and personnel during business hours and in life-threatening emergencies. Otherwise, passengers 13 and older only, with the tailgate closed, and only if all other seats are occupied. Also, passengers cannot unload the load while the truck is in motion. |
| Idaho | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| Illinois | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| Indiana | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| yeah | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| Kansas | There are no restrictions on the highway / outside the city limits. Otherwise, only persons 14 or older, employees, or review participants. |
| Kentucky | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| Louisiana | Marches under 15 mph. On the interstate highway, only people over 12 years old. During an emergency, a person 12 years of age or younger cannot ride in a highway truck bed unless accompanied by an adult. |
| who | Anyone 19 years of age or older, agricultural workers and farmers 18 years of age or younger, all parade participants, and anyone in an original equipment manufacturer installed seat. |
| Maryland | Anyone 16 years of age or older. Anyone 15 years of age or under who is 25 miles per hour. All employees on their way to the job site or farm workers on duty. Child restraints and/or seat belts must continue to be used unless the cargo area is covered. |
| Massachusetts | Anyone 12 years of age or older. Participants in parades or agricultural activities. Passengers 11 or younger only if the truck is traveling 5 miles or less at a speed of less than 5 mph. |
| Michigan | Passengers 18 and over or anyone in a parade, military, emergency, farming or construction vehicle. Trucks traveling at 15 mph or less can carry passengers 17 and under in bed. |
| Minnesota | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| Mississippi | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| Missouri | Anyone 18 years of age or older. Riders 17 years of age or younger Outside city limits/Off highway only. Exclusions include employees, farm activities, parades, special events, recreational assistance, family-owned trucks with all cab seats occupied, trucks with a covered cargo area, and trucks equipped with safety devices to keep passengers in bed. |
| Montana | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| Nebraska | Passengers 18 years of age or older or participants in the parade |
| nv | Passengers 18 or older. Anyone while ranching, an authorized motorcade, driving on dirt roads, or in the shell of a camper. |
| New Hampshire | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| New Jersey | duty personnel |
| New Mexico | Anyone 18 years of age or older |
| New York | There are no restrictions on trips less than 5 miles, when one-third of the passengers are standing throughout the trip, if seats are installed and rails and tailgate are in use, when there are fewer than 5 minors in the truck bed, or at least one adult in the truck bed. |
| North Carolina | Anyone 16 years of age or older. Passengers 15 years of age or younger when the truck is moving less than 25 mph, or if the minor is in an OEM-installed seat with belts. Anyone during an emergency, parade, farming situation, or in a permanent superstructure truck. |
| North Dakota | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| Ohio | Anyone 16 years of age or older. Passengers 15 years of age or younger when the flight is less than 25 miles, or if the minor is in an Original Equipment Manufacturer fitted seat with harnesses. Anyone during an emergency or in a truck with a covered cargo area |
| Oklahoma | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| Oregon | Anyone 18 years of age or older. anyone during the show. Any minor wearing a seat belt. Minors may also ride on the bed floor if all available seats are filled by minors, the tailgate is locked, and the minor is a duty officer or hunter on the hunt. |
| Pennsylvania | 18 years of age or older in a truck moving less than 35 mph. Passengers 17 and under in an enclosed cargo area, while displaying, hunting, or farm operations. |
| Rhode Island | Anyone 16 years of age or older. Anyone 15 years of age or younger is insured in the cargo hold. |
| South Carolina | Anyone 15 years of age or older. Anyone under the age of 15 in the presence of an adult, if they have a seat belt, is part of a motorcade, emergency, agricultural or hunting activity, or is protected by a metal tailgate on a truck moving less than 36 miles per hour. |
| South Dakota | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| Tennessee | Anyone 12 years of age or older. A passenger between the ages of 6 and 11 is off the motorway. Any participant in a procession below 20 mph, agricultural activities, or on a city or county road without ordinances prohibiting it. |
| Texas | Anyone 18 years of age or older, in a vehicle owned by a family member, on a motorcade, while riding hay, driving on the beach, during an emergency, during farm operations or while moving between agricultural fields. |
| Utah | Anyone off the highway, personnel on duty, and people riding in a vehicle space designated for loading. |
| Vermont | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| Virginia | Anyone 16 years of age or older, farmers cross the highway to move between fields. |
| Washington | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| West Virginia | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
| Wisconsin | Anyone in an enclosed area, during agricultural operations, a military parade, deer hunting, employees, or in a space inside a truck body intended for merchandise. |
| Wyoming | There is no state law that restricts who can ride in truck beds |
Then find out if or learn more about riding in the bed of a Georgia pickup truck in the video below:
