ILLINOIS (NEXSTAR) – If you grew up in Illinois with someone who owned a pickup truck, chances are you rode in the bed of that truck at least once or twice.
There are a lot of reasons one might ride in the back of a truck, especially since it can feel liberating to do so. But is it legal?
Although there aren’t any specific laws banning passengers from riding in the cargo area, Illinois law requires that everyone in the vehicle wears a seatbelt.
Additionally, children under the age of 16 must be secured by a seat belt or child safety seat under the Child Passenger Safety Act. It’s also illegal to ride in a tow vehicle on a public highway, such as a trailer, semitrailer, or wagon.
In other words, you cannot legally ride in the back of a pickup truck in Illinois, as there are no seatbelts to secure anyone riding in it.
Other states also have restrictions on who can ride in the bed of a truck or trailer. For example, drivers in Texas transporting anyone younger than 18 in the bed of a truck or on a trailer can face a fine between $25 and $200.
Regardless of age, the risk of traveling without a seatbelt still exists, and drivers should be aware of how dangerous traveling with riders in the back of a truck or trailer can be.
