Is it illegal to ride in the bed of a truck?
Christopher Harper
Published Aug 22, 2026
RIDING in the bed of a truck may look fun - but hitching a ride in the open-bed trunk could land you in hot water.
Depending on where you are doing it will determine if riding in the bed of a truck is legal - or just plain dangerous.
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Is it legal to ride in the bed of a truck?
The back of a pickup truck is known as a bed.
It is open to the elements and is mainly used for storage
But Americans quickly realised they also worked as a seating area - even though they're an accident waiting to happen.
Within the US, it is legal to ride in the back of a truck in 20 states, while the remaining 30 states have placed some form of regulations on this practice.
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Officials have warned it can be dangerous for people to ride in the back of pickup trucks since there is no protection for passengers.
So even where it is legal, it's not always wise.
Which states do not have laws against riding in the bed of a truck?
These are the 20 states that do not have laws against riding in the bed of a truck:
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Which states have laws against riding in the bed of a truck?
These states have laws against this practice based on age restrictions:
- Above the age of 12: Louisiana, Massachusetts, and Tennessee
- Above the age of 14: Kansas
- Above the age of 15: South Carolina
- Above the age of 16: Connecticut, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Virginia
- Above the age of 18: Florida, Georgia, Maine
- Above the age of 19: Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Texas
The following states have laws against riding in the bed of a truck in certain circumstances:
- In work-related circumstances: Arkansas, District of Columbia, New Jersey, Utah, and Wisconsin
- If there are no available seats in the passenger compartment: Hawaii
- Depending on the length of the trip: New York
- IF wearing federal approved restraint: California
However, the state with the most lenient restriction is Colorado.
It allows anyone to ride in the bed of the truck on the condition that all those in the bed are seated at all times, with the four corners of the truck bed closed.
Is it safe to ride in the bed of a truck?
While many may think it is a fun way of catching a ride, sitting in the back of an open-air bed is unsurprisingly also very dangerous.
Officials have warned the public of the dangers, with Florida Trooper Steve Montiero telling WKMG-TV to just "think about it".
He said: "There are no safety belts.
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"There's no actual seat and when it comes to impact, you're dealing with male materials."
He cautioned it "could result in serious injury" and said "you probably should never consider doing it".
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