What’s legal for pickup trucks in 20 states is illegal here in NJ

I’ve owned a couple of pickup trucks in my life. They’re fun and practical, and when someone needs something moved, you are their best friend for a weekend.

A weird downside I noticed is that people think nothing of using your pickup bed as a trash can. Seriously. You’ll find empty bottles, fast food bags, and almost anything thrown in the back like it’s a public waste basket. Also, a common theme with pickup trucks is everyone assumes you’re a redneck.

Now, something you rarely see in New Jersey (at least not in the more populated counties) is people riding loose in the back of a pickup truck. In certain other states, you’ll see this often enough. Here, rarely. That’s because it's illegal here and in most states.

Unfortunately, some still try it. Just Thursday night, a 9-year-old girl was injured as she rode in the bed of a pickup truck when it hit a utility pole, according to authorities.  Police say this happened about 11:45 pm in Dennis Township when the driver was backing out of a driveway on Hagen Road. Officials say the girl’s injuries were not life-threatening.

While the New Jersey law on this is clear, no charges were filed in this case. The law is as follows:

39:4-69. Riding on part not intended for passengers prohibited
No person shall ride on, and no operator shall knowingly allow a person to ride on a street car or vehicle, or on a portion thereof not designed or intended for the conveyance of passengers. This section shall not apply to an employee engaged in the necessary discharge of a duty.

Amended by L.1951, c. 23, p. 79, s. 36.

In other words, no, you cannot legally ride around in the bed of a pickup truck in New Jersey except for very narrow and specific work instances.

But where can you? Plenty of places. There’s no law against it in these 20 states…

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Delaware
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Minnesota
Mississippi
Montana
New Hampshire
North Dakota
Oklahoma
South Dakota
Vermont
Washington
West Virginia
Wyoming

Is anyone surprised to see Alabama or Mississippi on this list? Where else are you going to practice banjo?

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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