In Tennessee, it is illegal to ride in the bed of a pickup truck. This is because riding in the bed of a truck is considered hazardous and unsafe. It is also illegal for an adult to allow riders under the age of 18 to be in the bed of a truck.
The law states that anyone under the age of 18 is not allowed to ride in the back of a pickup truck, unless they are securely restrained by seatbelts or other safety equipment. Even if they are restrained, they must still not be seated directly behind the cab.
This means that any passengers must be seated behind or between the wheel wells. Additionally, any passengers must also have their feet on the floor of the bed and not hanging off the side.
Riding in an open-air vehicle, such as a bed of a pickup truck, can be extremely dangerous. This is due to both physical hazards such as road debris, as well as potential crashes due to lack of stability and lack of control while riding in an open-air vehicle. Furthermore, even if there are no physical hazards present, riding in an open-air vehicle can still be dangerous due to impaired vision and hearing from being outside of a closed-in cab area.
In Tennessee, it is illegal for anyone over age 18 who owns or operates a tow truck or motor vehicle with an open bed area to allow passengers under age 18 in their beds without proper restraints or safety equipment present. There can be fines imposed if this rule is broken and potentially jail time depending on how serious the violation was.
Conclusion: Riding in the bed of a truck is definitely illegal in Tennessee due to safety reasons and potential fines and legal actions that can result from breaking this law. It is important for everyone who owns or operates an open-bed vehicle to ensure that all passengers are safely restrained with appropriate seatbelts and other safety equipment before allowing them into their vehicles
